Scanning Probe Manipulation of Magnetism at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterointerface

Manipulation of magnetism is a longstanding goal of research in exotic materials. In this work, we demonstrate that the small ferromagnetic patches in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures can be dramatically changed by in situ contact of a scanning probe. Our results provide a platform for manipulation of small magnets through either a strong magneto-elastic coupling or sensitivity to surface modification. The ability to locally control magnetism is particularly interesting due to the presence of superconductivity with strong spin orbit coupling in LaAlO3/SrTiO3.