Superconducting Spintronics

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent experimental and theoretical progress in superconducting spintronics, highlighting how engineered interfaces enable spin-triplet pairing and enhance device functionalities by merging superconductivity with magnetic order.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of advances in creating and understanding spin-triplet Cooper pairs at superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces, emphasizing future challenges.

Findings

Superconducting order enhances spin injection and magnetoresistance.

Engineered interfaces enable the generation of spin-triplet Cooper pairs.

Progress in material combinations advances superconducting spintronics applications.

Abstract

Traditional studies that combine spintronics and superconductivity have mainly focused on the injection of spin-polarized quasiparticles into superconducting materials. However, a complete synergy between superconducting and magnetic orders turns out to be possible through the creation of spin-triplet Cooper pairs, which are generated at carefully engineered superconductor interfaces with ferromagnetic materials. Currently, there is intense activity focused on identifying materials combinations that merge superconductivity and spintronics to enhance device functionality and performance. The results look promising: it has been shown, for example, that superconducting order can greatly enhance central effects in spintronics such as spin injection and magnetoresistance. Here, we review the experimental and theoretical advances in this field and provide an outlook for upcoming challenges in superconducting spintronics.