Infinite Magnetoresistance and Vortex Coupling in the Pb/BSCCO Heterostructure

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how vortex dynamics in Pb/BSCCO heterostructures can induce infinite magnetoresistance and enable non-volatile switching, revealing new insights into vortex coupling and interactions at superconducting interfaces.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to achieve infinite magnetoresistance using vortex trapping and coupling in Pb/BSCCO heterostructures, advancing superconducting spintronics.

Findings

Non-volatile switching between superconducting and normal states via external magnetic fields.

Observation of butterfly-shaped hysteresis loops in magnetoresistance.

Thermal reset to superconducting states indicating vortex dynamics.

Abstract

Combining superconductivity with spintronics provides exciting opportunities to realize low-dissipation quantum devices. Here we report the synthesis, characterization and magnetotransport measurements of the Pb/Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ (BSCCO) superconducting heterostructures, where an insulating PbO$_{x}$ layer spontaneously forms at the interface. Non-volatile switching between superconducting (logical "0") and normal ("1") states in Pb films by an external field, i.e., infinite magnetoresistance (IMR), can be realized and are attributed to the strong trapping and pinning of vortices in BSCCO. Furthermore, butterfly-shaped hysteresis loops in magnetoresistance, pronounced resistance dips/jumps and thermal reset to superconducting states can be observed and are direct manifestations of the peculiar vortex dynamics in BSCCO and vortex coupling across the Pb/BSCCO interface. Our work demonstrates a simple and effective way to realize IMR through superconducting vortices and opens up new opportunities to study the vortex interactions across the superconducting interfaces.