Josephson tunnel junctions with a strong ferromagnetic interlayer

Bannykh, A.A., Pfeiffer, J., Stolyarov, V.S., Batov, I.E., Ryazanov, V.V. and Weides, M. (2009) Josephson tunnel junctions with a strong ferromagnetic interlayer. Physical Review B, 79(5), 054501. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.79.054501)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

The dependence of the critical current density jc on the ferromagnetic interlayer thickness dF was determined for Nb/Al2O3/Cu/Ni/Nb Josephson tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic Ni interlayer thicknesses from very thin films (∼1 nm) upward and classified into F-layer thickness regimes showing a dead magnetic layer, exchange, exchange+anisotropy and total suppression of jc. The Josephson coupling changes from 0 to π as function of dF, and—very close to the crossover thickness—as function of temperature. The strong suppression of the supercurrent in comparison to nonmagnetic Nb/Al2O3/Cu/Nb junctions indicated that the insertion of a F layer leads to additional interface scattering. The transport inside the dead magnetic layer was in dirty limit. For the magnetically active regime fitting with both the clean and the dirty limit theories was carried out, indicating dirty limit condition, too. The results were discussed in the framework of literature.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Weides, Professor Martin
Authors: Bannykh, A.A., Pfeiffer, J., Stolyarov, V.S., Batov, I.E., Ryazanov, V.V., and Weides, M.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
Journal Name:Physical Review B
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:1098-0121
ISSN (Online):1550-235X

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record