We have measured the non-local resistance of aluminum-iron spin-valve
structures fabricated by e-beam lithography and shadow evaporation. The sample
geometry consists of an aluminum bar with two or more ferromagnetic wires
forming point contacts to the aluminum at varying distances from each other. In
the normal state of aluminum, we observe a spin-valve signal which allows us to
control the relative orientation of the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic
contacts. In the superconducting state, at low temperatures and excitation
voltages well below the gap, we observe a spin-dependent non-local resistance
which decays on a smaller length scale than the normal-state spin-valve signal.
The sign, magnitude and decay length of this signal is consistent with
predictions made for crossed Andreev reflection (CAR).Comment: RevTeX, 4 page