All-oxide inverse superconducting spin switch

ORAL

Abstract

In proximity coupled ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (F/S/F) structures the critical temperature is modulated by the relative orientation of the magnetization in the F layers (superconducting spin switch- SSS-). A larger T$_{c}$ with antiparallel (AP) compared to parallel (P) magnetizations results from the averaging of the exchange field over the coherent volume. Recent reports have shown an SSS behavior in F/S/F structures with strong ferromagnets, where superconductivity is favored for P orientation of the adjacent magnetizations. Its origin is a subject of debate. While some reports suggest enhanced pair breaking by spin-polarized quasiparticles in the AP configurations, others emphasize the effect of stray fields in depressing the superconductivity. Comparing data of bilayers and trilayers, we show that the SSS effect of our epitaxial LCMO/YBCO/LCMO structures is governed by spin transport with limited influence of stray fields.

Authors

  • Jacobo Santamaria

    • GFMC, Fisica Aplicada III, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
  • Norbert Nemes

    • ICMM-CSIC, 28049 Cantoblanco, Spain
  • C. Visani

    • GFMC, Fis. Aplicada III, Univ. Complutense Madrid, Spain
    • Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
  • Javier Garcia-Barriocanal

    • GFMC, Fis. Aplicada III, Univ. Complutense Madrid, Spain
  • Zouhair Sefrioui

    • GFMC, Fis. Aplicada III, Univ. Complutense Madrid, Spain
  • Diego Arias

    • GFMC, Fis. Aplicada III, Univ. Complutense Madrid, Spain
  • Carlos Leon

    • GFMC, Fis. Aplicada III, Univ. Complutense Madrid, Spain
  • Mar Garcia-Hernandez

    • ICMM-CSIC, Cantoblanco, Spain
  • S.G.E. te Velthuis

    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
    • Argonne National Laboratory
    • MSD, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Axel Hoffmann

    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory
    • MSD and CNM, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
    • Argonne National Laboratory