Superconducting spin valve effect of a v layer coupled to an antiferromagnetic [Fe/V] superlattice

We studied superconducting V layers deposited on an antiferromagnetically coupled [Fe(2)V(11)](20) superlattice. The parallel upper critical magnetic field exhibits an anomalous T dependence up to the ferromagnetic saturation field of the superlattice, indicating that the superconducting transition...

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Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 95; no. 9; p. 097003
Main Authors Westerholt, K, Sprungmann, D, Zabel, H, Brucas, R, Hjörvarsson, B, Tikhonov, D A, Garifullin, I A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 26.08.2005
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Summary:We studied superconducting V layers deposited on an antiferromagnetically coupled [Fe(2)V(11)](20) superlattice. The parallel upper critical magnetic field exhibits an anomalous T dependence up to the ferromagnetic saturation field of the superlattice, indicating that the superconducting transition temperature T(S) decreases when rotating the relative sublattice magnetization directions of the superlattice from antiparallel to parallel. This proves that the pair breaking effect of a Fe2 layer is reduced if at a distance of 1.5 nm a second Fe2 layer with antiparallel spin orientation exists.
ISSN:0031-9007
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.097003