Full spin switch effect for the superconducting current in a superconductor/ferromagnet thin film heterostructure

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a full spin switch effect in a superconductor/ferromagnet heterostructure, enabling control over the superconducting current via magnetic orientation, based on a theoretical design and experimental realization.

Contribution

The study experimentally realizes a full spin switch effect in a superconductor/ferromagnet heterostructure, confirming theoretical predictions and advancing control of superconducting states.

Findings

Successful realization of a full spin switch effect

Superconducting critical temperature varies with magnetic orientation

Control over superconducting current achieved

Abstract

Superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) proximity effect theory predicts that the superconducting critical temperature of the F1/F2/S or F1/S/F2 trilayers for the parallel orientation of the F1 and F2 magnetizations is smaller than for the antiparallel one. This suggests a possibility of a controlled switching between the superconducting and normal states in the S layer. Here, using the spin switch design F1/F2/S theoretically proposed by Oh et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 2376 (1997)], that comprises a ferromagnetic bilayer separated by a non-magnetic metallic spacer layer as a ferromagnetic component, and an ordinary superconductor as the second interface component, we have successfully realized a full spin switch effect for the superconducting current.