Control of Superconductivity with a Single Ferromagnetic Layer in Niobium/Erbium Bilayers

N. Satchell, J. D. S. Witt, M. G. Flokstra, S. L. Lee, J. F. K. Cooper, C. J. Kinane, S. Langridge, and G. Burnell
Phys. Rev. Applied 7, 044031 – Published 28 April 2017
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Abstract

Superconducting spintronics in hybrid superconductor-ferromagnet (SF) heterostructures provides an exciting class of device. The prototypical superspintronic device is the superconducting spin valve, where the critical temperature Tc of the S layer can be controlled by the relative orientation of two (or more) F layers. Here, we show that such control is also possible in a simple SF bilayer. Using field history to set the remanent magnetic state of a thin Er layer, we demonstrate for a Nb/Er bilayer a high level of control of both Tc and the shape of the resistive transition R(T) to zero resistance. We are able to model the origin of the remanent magnetization, treating it as an increase in the effective exchange field of the ferromagnet and link the remanent magnetization using conventional SF theory to the suppression of Tc. We observe stepped features in the R(T), which we argue is due to a fundamental interaction of superconductivity with inhomogeneous ferromagnetism, a phenomena currently lacking theoretical description.

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  • Received 27 January 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.7.044031

© 2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

N. Satchell1,2, J. D. S. Witt1, M. G. Flokstra3, S. L. Lee3, J. F. K. Cooper2, C. J. Kinane2, S. Langridge2, and G. Burnell1,*

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
  • 2ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
  • 3School of Physics and Astronomy, SUPA, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9SS, United Kingdom

  • *g.burnell@leeds.ac.uk

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Vol. 7, Iss. 4 — April 2017

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