Study of proximity effects in superconductor/ferromagnet interface using waveguide enhancement of neutron standing waves

TL;DR

This paper investigates how superconductivity influences ferromagnetism at S/FM interfaces using polarized neutron reflectivity and waveguide-enhanced neutron standing waves to improve measurement sensitivity.

Contribution

It introduces the use of neutron waveguide enhancement to better detect and analyze inverse proximity effects in superconductor/ferromagnet layered systems.

Findings

Successful preparation of S/FM samples with desired properties

Validation of neutron waveguide technique for enhanced magnetic signal detection

Initial results showing magnetization changes due to superconductivity

Abstract

This work is devoted to experimental study of influence of superconductivity (S) on ferromagnetism (FM) (inverse proximity effects) with the help of Polarized Neutron Reflectivity. Combining meausurements of specular and diffuse intensities it is possible to obtain full picture of magnetization change in S/FM layered systems like magnetization rotation, domain state formation, inducing of magnetization in S layer, etc. To increase weak magnetic signal we propose to use enhanced neutron standing wave regime (e.g. waveguides). In previous work we have made calculation to increase enhcanced factor. Here we present results of preparation sets of S/FM samples and attestation of their structural, magnetic, superconducting and neutron waveguide properties.