505 research outputs found
Fabrication of high quality ferromagnetic Josephson junctions
We present ferromagnetic Nb/Al2O3/Ni60Cu40/Nb Josephson junctions (SIFS) with
an ultrathin Al2O3 tunnel barrier. The junction fabrication was optimized
regarding junction insulation and homogeneity of current transport. Using
ion-beam-etching and anodic oxidation we defined and insulated the junction
mesas. The additional 2 nm thin Cu layer below the ferromagnetic NiCu (SINFS)
lowered interface roughness and ensured very homogeneous current transport. A
high yield of junctional devices with jc spreads less than 2% was obtained.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures; VORTEX IV conference contribution; Submitted to
Physica
Strong enhancement of direct magnetoelectric effect in strained ferroelectric-ferromagnetic thin-film heterostructures
The direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect resulting from the polarization
changes induced in a ferroelectric film by the application of a magnetic field
to a ferromagnetic substrate is described using the nonlinear thermodynamic
theory. It is shown that the ME response strongly depends on the initial strain
state of the film. The ME polarization coefficient of the heterostructures
involving Terfenol-D substrates and compressively strained lead zirconate
titanate (PZT) films, which stabilize in the out-of-plane polarization state,
is found to be comparable to that of bulk PZT/Terfenol-D laminate composites.
At the same time, the ME voltage coefficient reaches a giant value of 50 V/(cm
Oe), which greatly exceeds the maximum observed static ME coefficients of bulk
composites. This remarkable feature is explained by a favorable combination of
considerable strain sensitivity of polarization and a low electric permittivity
in compressively strained PZT films. The theory also predicts a further
dramatic increase of ME coefficients at the strain-induced transitions between
different ferroelectric phases.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
Memory cell based on a Josephson junction
The Josephson junction has a doubly degenerate ground state with
the Josephson phases . We demonstrate the use of such a
Josephson junction as a memory cell (classical bit), where writing is done by
applying a magnetic field and reading by applying a bias current. In the
"store" state, the junction does not require any bias or magnetic field, but
just needs to stay cooled for permanent storage of the logical bit.
Straightforward integration with Rapid Single Flux Quantum logic is possible.Comment: to be published in AP
Observation of Josephson coupling through an interlayer of antiferromagnetically ordered chromium
The supercurrent transport in metallic Josephson tunnel junctions with an
additional interlayer made up by chromium, being an itinerant antiferromagnet,
was studied. Uniform Josephson coupling was observed as a function of the
magnetic field. The supercurrent shows a weak dependence on the interlayer
thickness for thin chromium layers and decays exponentially for thicker films.
The diffusion constant and the coherence length in the antiferromagnet were
estimated. The antiferromagnetic state of the barrier was indirectly verified
using reference samples. Our results are compared to macroscopic and
microscopic models.Comment: Phys. Rev. B (2009), in prin
Phase retrapping in aφJosephson junction: onset of the butterfly effect
We investigate experimentally the retrapping of the phase in a
φ
Josephson junction upon return of the junction to the zero-voltage state. Since the Josephson energy profile
U
0
(
ψ
)
in
φ
JJ is a
2
Ï€
periodic double-well potential with minima at
ψ
=
±
φ
mod
2
Ï€
, the question is at which of the two minima
−
φ
or
+
φ
the phase will be trapped upon return from a finite voltage state during quasistatic decrease of the bias current (tilt of the potential). By measuring the relative population of two peaks in escape histograms, we determine the probability of phase trapping in the
±
φ
wells for different temperatures. Our experimental results agree qualitatively with theoretical predictions. In particular, we observe an onset of the butterfly effect with an oscillating probability of trapping. Unexpectedly, this probability saturates at a value different from 50% at low temperatures
Low-T_c Josephson junctions with tailored barrier
Nb/Al_2O_3/Ni_{0.6}Cu_{0.4}/Nb based
superconductor-insulator-ferromagnet-superconductor (SIFS) Josephson tunnel
junctions with a thickness step in the metallic ferromagnetic
\Ni_{0.6}\Cu_{0.4} interlayer were fabricated. The step was defined by optical
lithography and controlled etching. The step height is on the scale of a few
angstroms. Experimentally determined junction parameters by current-voltage
characteristics and Fraunhofer pattern indicate an uniform F-layer thickness
and the same interface transparencies for etched and non-etched F-layers. This
technique could be used to tailor low-T_c Josephson junctions having controlled
critical current densities at defined parts of the junction area, as needed for
tunable resonators, magnetic-field driven electronics or phase modulated
devices.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, small changes, to be published by JA
Visualizing supercurrents in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions with various arrangements of 0 and \pi segments
Josephson junctions with ferromagnetic barrier can have positive or negative
critical current depending on the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer.
Accordingly, the Josephson phase in the ground state is equal to 0 (a
conventional or 0 junction) or to ( junction). When 0 and
segments are joined to form a "0- junction", spontaneous supercurrents
around the 0- boundary can appear. Here we report on the visualization of
supercurrents in superconductor-insulator-ferromagnet-superconductor (SIFS)
junctions by low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM). We discuss
data for rectangular 0, , 0-, 0--0 and 20 \times 0-
junctions, disk-shaped junctions where the 0- boundary forms a ring, and
an annular junction with two 0- boundaries. Within each 0 or segment
the critical current density is fairly homogeneous, as indicated both by
measurements of the magnetic field dependence of the critical current and by
LTSEM. The parts have critical current densities up to
35\units{A/cm^2} at T = 4.2\units{K}, which is a record value for SIFS
junctions with a NiCu F-layer so far. We also demonstrate that SIFS technology
is capable to produce Josephson devices with a unique topology of the 0-
boundary.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure
0-pi Josephson tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic barrier
We fabricated high quality Nb/Al_2O_3/Ni_{0.6}Cu_{0.4}/Nb
superconductor-insulator-ferromagnet-superconductor Josephson tunnel junctions.
Using a ferromagnetic layer with a step-like thickness, we obtain a 0-pi
junction, with equal lengths and critical currents of 0 and pi parts. The
ground state of our 330 microns (1.3 lambda_J) long junction corresponds to a
spontaneous vortex of supercurrent pinned at the 0-pi step and carrying ~6.7%
of the magnetic flux quantum Phi_0. The dependence of the critical current on
the applied magnetic field shows a clear minimum in the vicinity of zero field.Comment: submitted to PR
Interference patterns of multifacet 20x(0-pi-) Josephson junctions with ferromagnetic barrier
We have realized multifacet Josephson junctions with periodically alternating
critical current density (MJJs) using
superconductor-insulator-ferromagnet-superconductor heterostructures. We show
that anomalous features of critical current vs. applied magnetic field,
observed also for other types of MJJs, are caused by a non-uniform flux density
(parallel to the barrier) resulting from screening currents in the electrodes
in the presence of a (parasitic) off-plane field component.Comment: submitted to PR
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