Proximity effect in atomic-scaled hybrid superconductor/ferromagnet structures: crucial role of electron spectra

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the electron spectra configuration in atomic-scale superconductor/ferromagnet hybrids influences their properties, revealing that the spin switch effect can be reversed based on the electron spectra type.

Contribution

It demonstrates the crucial role of electron spectra in determining the behavior of superconductor-ferromagnet hybrid structures, especially regarding the spin switch effect.

Findings

S/F/S junctions can be 0 or π depending on energy shifts and Fermi surface anisotropy.

The spin switch effect in F/S/F systems can be reversed if minority spin spectra are hole-like.

Electron spectra configuration critically affects the properties of atomic-scale hybrid structures.

Abstract

We study the influence of the configuration of the majority and minority spin subbands of electron spectra on the properties of atomic-scaled superconductor-ferromagnet S-F-S and F-S-F hybrid structures. At low temperatures, the S/F/S junction is either a 0 or junction depending on the energy shift between S and F materials and the anisotropy of the Fermi surfaces. We found that the spin switch effect in F/S/F system can be reversed if the minority spin electron spectra in F metal is of the hole-like type.