Signature of the long range triplet proximity effect in the density of states

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the long-range spin-triplet proximity effect influences the density of states and Josephson current in planar ferromagnet-superconductor junctions, revealing observable signatures of triplet correlations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a significant long-range triplet proximity effect occurs in asymmetric ferromagnetic Josephson junctions with orthogonal magnetizations, affecting DOS and current-phase relations.

Findings

Enhanced density of states in ferromagnets due to triplet effect

Second harmonic dominance in Josephson current-phase relation

Experimental signatures detectable via tunneling spectroscopy

Abstract

We study the impact of the long-range spin-triplet proximity effect on the density of states (DOS) in planar SF1F2S Josephson junctions that consist of conventional superconductors (S) connected by two metallic monodomain ferromagnets (F1 and F2) with transparent interfaces. We determine the electronic DOS in F layers and the Josephson current for arbitrary orientation of the magnetizations using the solutions of Eilenberger equations in the clean limit and for a moderate disorder in ferromagnets. We find that fully developed long-range proximity effect can occur in highly asymmetric ferromagnetic bilayer Josephson junctions with orthogonal magnetizations. The effect manifests itself as an enhancement in DOS, and as a dominant second harmonic in the Josephson current-phase relation. Distinctive variation of DOS in ferromagnets with the angle between magnetizations is experimentally observable by tunneling spectroscopy. This can provide an unambiguous signature of the long-range spin-triplet proximity effect.