The response of small SQUID pickup loops to magnetic fields

Abstract: In the past, magnetic images acquired using scanning Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) microscopy have been interpreted using simple models for the sensor point spread function. However, more complicated modeling is needed when the characteristic dimensions of the field sensitive areas in these sensors become comparable to the London penetration depth. In this paper we calculate the response of SQUIDs with deep sub-micron pickup loops to different sources of magnetic fields by solving coupled London's and Maxwell's equations using the full sensor geometry. Tests of these calculations using various field sources are in reasonable agreement with experiments. These calculations allow us to more accurately interpret sub-micron spatial resolution data obtained using scanning SQUID microscopy.