Advances in magnetic microscopy

A remarkable number of methods for direct, real-space imaging in magnetic microscopy have been demonstrated over the past decade and a half, and the pace of development shows no sign of slowing. Our understanding of magnetism increases as each striking new image of surface and thin-film magnetization is obtained. The continued development of highperformance magnetic information technologies also requires detailed study of the magnetostatics and dynamics of microscopic magnetic structures. Both fundamental curiosity and practical interest now drive us toward innovations in magnetic microscopy for nanometer-length scale and femtosecond temporal resolutions, which are beyond the limits of traditional imaging techniques. This survey is intended to provide an overview of the motivations, accomplishments, and future prospects for this discipline.