Anomalous proximity effect in spin-valve SFF structures

TL;DR

This paper explores how noncollinear magnetizations in SFF structures lead to phase slips and anomalous spin-triplet correlations, affecting Josephson junction behavior.

Contribution

It reveals the existence of phase slips at interfaces in SFF structures with arbitrary transparency, highlighting their impact on spin-triplet correlations.

Findings

Phase slips occur at SF and FF interfaces.

Spin-triplet correlations show anomalous dependence on magnetization angle.

Implications for experimental observation in Josephson π-junctions.

Abstract

We investigate SFF structures (S-superconductor, F feromagnetic metal) with noncollinear magnetizations of F films with arbitrary transparency of FF interface. We show the existence of phase slips both at SF and FF interfaces which manifest themselves in the anomalous dependence of the spin-triplet correlations on misorientation angle between magnetization vectors in the F-layers. We discuss how these effects can be observed in experiments with Josephson $\pi$-junctions.