Stray field and superconducting surface spin valve effect in La$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$/YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ bilayers

TL;DR

This paper investigates the interaction between magnetism and superconductivity in LCMO/YBCO bilayers, revealing vortex dynamics, a superconducting surface spin valve effect, and indications of triplet superconductivity, with implications for superconductive memory devices.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of a tunable surface spin valve effect and vortex interactions in LCMO/YBCO bilayers, advancing understanding of their magnetic and superconducting interplay.

Findings

Weakly pinned vortices induced by stray fields cause dissipation peaks.

Angular magnetoresistance reveals stripe domain and vortex interactions.

Surface spin valve effect can be tuned by magnetic field rotation.

Abstract

Electronic transport and magnetization measurements were performed on La$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$/YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ (LCMO/YBCO) bilayers below the superconducting transition temperature in order to study the interaction between magnetism and superconductivity. This study shows that a substantial number of weakly pinned vortices are induced in the YBCO layer by the large out-of-plane stray field in the domain walls. Their motion gives rise to large dissipation peaks at the coercive field. The angular dependent magnetoresistance (MR) data reveal the interaction between the stripe domain structure present in the LCMO layer and the vortices and anti-vortices induced in the YBCO layer by the out-of-plane stray field. In addition, this study shows that a superconducting surface spin valve effect is present in these bilayers as a result of the relative orientation between the magnetization at the LCMO/YBCO interface and the magnetization in the interior of the LCMO layer that can be tuned by the rotation of a small $H$. This latter finding will facilitate the development of superconductive magnetoresistive memory devices. These low-magnetic field MR data, furthermore, suggest that triplet superconductivity is induced in the LCMO layer, which is consistent with recent reports of triplet superconductivity in LCMO/YBCO/LCMO trilayers and LCMO/YBCO bilayers.