Toward the absolute spin-valve effect in superconducting tunnel junctions

A superconductor with a spin-split excitation spectrum behaves as an ideal ferromagnetic spin-injector in a tunneling junction. It was theoretically predicted that the combination of two such spin-split superconductors with independently tunable magnetizations may be used as an ideal absolute spin-v...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Simoni, Giorgio de, Strambini, Elia, Moodera, J. S., Bergeret, F. Sebastian, Giazotto, Francesco
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión enviada para evaluación y publicación
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/178470
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/178470
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Ferromagnetic insulator
Magnetic memories
Spin valve
Spintronics
Superconductivity
Tunneling magneto-resistance
Descrição
Resumo:A superconductor with a spin-split excitation spectrum behaves as an ideal ferromagnetic spin-injector in a tunneling junction. It was theoretically predicted that the combination of two such spin-split superconductors with independently tunable magnetizations may be used as an ideal absolute spin-valve. Here, we report on the first switchable superconducting spin-valve based on two EuS/Al bilayers coupled through an aluminum oxide tunnel barrier. The spin-valve shows a relative resistance change between the parallel and antiparallel configuration of the EuS layers up to 900% that demonstrates a highly spin-polarized current through the junction. Our device may be pivotal for realization of thermoelectric radiation detectors, a logical element for a memory cell in cryogenics, superconductor-based computers, and superconducting spintronics in general.