Enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature in Nb/Permalloy bilayers by controlling the domain state of the ferromagnet

In (S/F) hybrids the suppression of superconductivity by the exchange field h_ex of the ferromagnet can be partially lifted when different directions of h_ex are sampled simultaneously by the Cooper pair. In F/S/F trilayer geometries where the magnetization directions of the two F-layers can be controlled separately, this leads to the so-called spin switch. Here we show that domain walls in a single F-layer yield a similar effect. We study the transport properties of Ni_0.8Fe_0.2/Nb bilayers structured in strips of different sizes. For large samples a clear enhancement of superconductivity takes place in the resistive transition, in the very narrow field range (order of 0.5 mT) where the magnetization of the Py layer switches and many domains are present. This effect is absent in microstructured samples. Comparison of domain wall width \delta_w to the temperature dependent superconductor coherence length \xi_S(T) shows that \delta_w ~ \xi_S(T), which means that the Cooper pairs sample a large range of different magnetization directions.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Depairing currents in superconducting films of Nb and amorphous MoGe

We report on measuring the depairing current J_{dp} in thin superconducting films as a function of temperature. The main difficulties in such measurements are that heating has to be avoided, either due to contacts, or to vortex flow. The latter is almost unavoidable since the sample cross-section is usually larger than the superconducting coherence length \xi_s and the magnetic field penetration depth \lambda_s. On the other hand, vortex flow is helpful since it homogenizes the distribution of the current across the sample. We used a pulsed current method, which allows to overcome the difficulties caused by dissipation and measured the depairing current in films of thin polycrystalline Nb (low \lambda_s, low specific resistance \rho) and amorphous Mo_{0.7}Ge_{0.3} (high \lambda_s, high \rho), structured in the shape of bridges of various width. The experimental values of J_{dp} for different bridge dimensions are compared with theoretical predictions by Kupriyanov and Lukichev for dirty limit superconductors. For the smallest samples we find a very good agreement with theory, over essentially the whole temperature interval below the superconducting critical temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Observation of the magnetic domain structures in Cu0,47_{0,47}Ni0,53_{0,53} thin films at low temperatures

We report on the first experimental visualization of domain structure in films of weakly ferromagnetic Cu$_{0,47}$Ni$_{0,53}$ alloy with different thickness at liquid helium temperatures. Improved high-resolution Bitter decoration technique was used to map the magnetic contrast on the top of the films well below the Curie temperature T$_{Curie}$ ($\sim$ 60 K). In contrast to magnetic force microscopy, this technique allowed visualization of the domain structure without its disturbance while the larger areas of the sample were probed. Maze-like domain patterns, typical for perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, were observed. The average domain width was found to be about 100 nm.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, will be published in JETP Let

Observation of the Triplet Spin-Valve Effect in a Superconductor-Ferromagnet Heterostructure

The theory of superconductor-ferromagnet (S-F) heterostructures with two ferromagnetic layers predicts the generation of a long-range, odd-in-frequency triplet pairing at non-collinear alignment (NCA) of the magnetizations of the F-layers. This triplet pairing has been detected in a Nb/Cu41Ni59/nc-Nb/Co/CoOx spin-valve type proximity effect heterostructure, in which a very thin Nb film between the F-layers serves as a normal conducting (nc) spacer. The resistance of the sample as a function of an external magnetic field shows that for not too high fields the system is superconducting at a collinear alignment of the Cu41Ni59 and Co layer magnetic moments, but switches to the normal conducting state at a NCA configuration. This indicates that the superconducting transition temperature Tc for NCA is lower than the fixed measuring temperature. The existence of a minimum Tc, at the NCA regime below that one for parallel or antiparallel alignments of the F-layer magnetic moments, is consistent with the theoretical prediction of a singlet superconductivity suppression by the long-range triplet pairing generation.Comment: 7 pages, 4 fgures, Submitted to Physical Review Letter

УСТАНОВЛЕНИЕ ПРИЧИН РАЗРУШЕНИЯ ПАКЕТОВ ЛОПАТОК ТУРБИН ПРИ ВЫПОЛНЕНИИ СУДЕБНЫХ ЭКСПЕРТИЗ

The technique ofdetermination of rupture sources of the turbine blades packets, which can be used at performance of forensic expertise is suggested. Its distinctive feature is completeness of the account of the various factors concerning different areas of the applied physics, such as gas dynamics, heat conductivity, thermoelasticity, static and dynamic strength. The following series of calculations was made for acknowledgement of rupture sources of bladed disk. I. Calculation of a viscous compressed subsonic current. II. Calculation periodic gas-dynamic loads operating on the blades. III. Calculation of a non-stationary stress-strain state of the bladed disk under the action of periodic forces. The technique is based on use of the numerical methods of gas dynamics and dynamic strength. The steam current through a turbomachine step calculated with the help of model of the viscous, compressedfluid. The forced vibrations of the bladed disk under the action of the aerodynamic loads are analyzed by the numerical integration of the nonlinearfinite elements design model. Four cases are considered for the numerical calculations of the stress-strain state. I. The clearance in the disk slots are not accounted and the vibrations under the action ofgas-dynamic loads from ideal directing device are investigated. II. The clearance in the disk slots are not accounted and the vibrations under the action of gas- dynamic loads from defective directing device are investigated. III. The clearance in the disk slots are taken into account and the vibrations under the action of gas-dynamic loads from ideal directing device are investigated. IV. The clearance in the disk slots are taken into account and the vibrations under the action of gas-dynamic loads from defective directing device are investigated. It’s established that a source of rupture ofworking blades of a regulating step of a compartment of a high pressure of the steam turbine is damage of blades of the directing device.Запропоновано методику встановлення причин руйнування робочих лопаток, яка може використовуватися при виконанні судових інженерно-технічних експертиз. Її відмітною рисою є повнота урахування різних факторів, що належать до різних галузей прикладної фізики, таким як газодинаміка, теплопровідність, термопружність, статична й динамічна міцності. Методика ґрунтується на використанні числових методів газодинаміки й динамічної міцності. Протікання пари через ступені турбомашини розраховувалося на підставі моделі в’язкого середовища, що стискається. Для дослідження вимушених коливань облопаченого диска під дією аеродинамічних навантажень застосовувалося чисельне інтегрування нелінійної скінченно-елементної моделі конструкції

Transition Radiation Spectra of Electrons from 1 to 10 GeV/c in Regular and Irregular Radiators

We present measurements of the spectral distribution of transition radiation generated by electrons of momentum 1 to 10 GeV/c in different radiator types. We investigate periodic foil radiators and irregular foam and fiber materials. The transition radiation photons are detected by prototypes of the drift chambers to be used in the Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) of the ALICE experiment at CERN, which are filled with a Xe, CO2 (15 %) mixture. The measurements are compared to simulations in order to enhance the quantitative understanding of transition radiation production, in particular the momentum dependence of the transition radiation yield.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Nucl. Instr. Meth. Phys. Res.