Optimization of spin-triplet supercurrent in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a significant enhancement of spin-triplet supercurrent in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions by inducing a spin-flop transition in the synthetic antiferromagnet, supported by experimental evidence.

Contribution

It introduces a method to boost spin-triplet supercurrent via a spin-flop transition in a synthetic antiferromagnet within Josephson junctions.

Findings

Supercurrent increased up to 20 times after magnetization.

Spin-flop transition confirmed by microscopy and neutron reflectometry.

Enhanced supercurrent linked to magnetic reorientation.

Abstract

In the past year, several groups have observed evidence for long-range spin-triplet supercurrent in Josephson junctions containing ferromagnetic (F) materials. In our work, the spin-triplet pair correlations are created by non-collinear magnetizations between a central Co/Ru/Co "synthetic antiferromagnet" (SAF) and two outer thin F layers. Here we present data showing that the spin-triplet supercurrent is enhanced up to 20 times after our samples are subject to a large in-plane magnetizing field. This surprising result can be explained if the Co/Ru/Co SAF undergoes a "spin-flop" transition, whereby the two Co layer magnetizations end up perpendicular to the magnetizations of the two thin F layers. Direct experimental evidence for the spin-flop transition comes from scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis and from spin-polarized neutron reflectometry.