578 research outputs found

    Local density of states in superconductor-strong ferromagnet structures

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    We study the dependence of the local density of states (LDOS) on coordinates for a superconductor-ferromagnet (S/F) bilayer and a S/F/S structure assuming that the exchange energy h in the ferromagnet is sufficiently large: >>1,% h\tau >>1, where τ\tau is the elastic relaxation time. This limit cannot be described by the Usadel equation and we solve the more general Eilenberger equation. We demonstrate that, in the main approximation in the parameter (hτ)1% (h\tau)^{-1}, the proximity effect does not lead to a modification of the LDOS in the S/F system and a non-trivial dependence on coordinates shows up in next orders in (hτ)1.(h\tau) ^{-1}. In the S/F/S sandwich the correction to the LDOS is nonzero in the main approximation and depends on the phase difference between the superconductors. We also calculate the superconducting critical temperature TcT_{c} for the bilayered system and show that it does not depend on the exchange energy of the ferromagnet in the limit of large h and a thick F layer.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

    A superconducting absolute spin valve

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    A superconductor with a spin-split excitation spectrum behaves as an ideal ferromagnetic spin-injector in a tunneling junction. It was theoretical predicted that the combination of two such spin-split superconductors with independently tunable magnetizations, may be used as an ideal absoluteabsolute spin-valve. Here we report on the first switchable superconducting spin-valve based on two EuS/Al bilayers coupled through an aluminum oxide tunnel barrier. The spin-valve shows a relative resistance change between the parallel and antiparallel configuration of the EuS layers up to 900% that demonstrates a highly spin-polarized currents through the junction. Our device may be pivotal for realization of thermoelectric radiation detectors, logical element for a memory cell in cryogenics superconductor-based computers and superconducting spintronics in general.Comment: 6 pages, 4 color figures, 1 tabl

    Pb/InAs nanowire Josephson junction with high critical current and magnetic flux focusing

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    arXiv:1411.0990v3.-- et al.We have studied mesoscopic Josephson junctions formed by highly n-doped InAs nanowires and superconducting Ti/Pb source and drain leads. The current-voltage properties of the system are investigated by varying temperature and external out-of-plane magnetic field. Superconductivity in the Pb electrodes persists up to ∼7 K and with magnetic field values up to 0.4 T. Josephson coupling at zero backgate voltage is observed up to 4.5 K and the critical current is measured to be as high as 615 nA. The supercurrent suppression as a function of the magnetic field reveals a diffraction pattern that is explained by a strong magnetic flux focusing provided by the superconducting electrodes forming the junction.Partial financial support from the Marie Curie Initial Training Action (ITN) Q-NET 264034 and the Tuscany region through the project :TERASQUID” is acknowledged. The work of F.G. has been partially funded by the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant 615187-COMANCHE. The work of F.S.B. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under Projects No. FIS2011-28851-C02-02.Peer Reviewe

    Interplay between Josephson effect and magnetic interactions in double quantum dots

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    We analyze the magnetic and transport properties of a double quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads. In addition to the possible phase transition to a π\pi state, already present in the single dot case, this system exhibits a richer magnetic behavior due to the competition between Kondo and inter-dot antiferromagnetic coupling. We obtain results for the Josephson current which may help to understand recent experiments on superconductor-metallofullerene dimer junctions. We show that in such a system the Josephson effect can be used to control its magnetic configuration.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

    Revealing the magnetic proximity effect in EuS/Al bilayers through superconducting tunneling spectroscopy

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    A ferromagnetic insulator attached to a superconductor is known to induce an exchange splitting of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) singularity by a magnitude proportional to the magnetization, and penetrating into the superconductor to a depth comparable with the superconducting coherence length. We study this long-range magnetic proximity effect in EuS/Al bilayers and find that the exchange splitting of the BCS peaks is present already in the unpolarized state of the ferromagnetic insulator (EuS), and is being further enhanced when magnetizing the sample by a magnetic field. The measurement data taken at the lowest temperatures feature a high contrast which has allowed us to relate the line shape of the split BCS conductance peaks to the characteristic magnetic domain structure of the EuS layer in the unpolarized state. These results pave the way to engineering triplet superconducting correlations at domain walls in EuS/Al bilayers. Furthermore, the hard gap and clear splitting observed in our tunneling spectroscopy measurements indicate that EuS/Al bilayers are excellent candidates for substituting strong magnetic fields in experiments studying Majorana bound states.Comment: 9 pages, 4 color figure
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