Progress in Superconductivity

The Korean Superconductivity Society (한국초전도학회)
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Proximity Effect in Nb/Gd Layers

  • Jung, Dong-Ho (Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University) ;
  • Char, K. (Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2011.03.09
  • Accepted : 2011.04.01
  • Published : 2011.04.30
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Abstract

We have grown a Nb/Gd bilayer on a$SiO_2$/Si substrate by using a DC magnetron sputtering system, which was fabricated in situ with silicon stencil masks. In order to investigate proximity effect of the Nb/Gd bilayer, we used a planar tunnel junction with an AlOx tunnel barrier by oxidizing the Al ground electrode at the bottom. A $Co_{60}Fe_{40}$ backing of Al was deposited so as to reduce the superconductivity of the Al, ensuring a normal counterelectrode. With a 50-nm-thick Nb layer, we have measured dI/dV (dynamic conductance) by varying the thickness of Gd, which can reveal the density of states (DOS) of the Nb/Gd bilayer as a function of the Gd thickness resulting from the proximity effect of a superconductor/ferromagnet bilayer (S/F). The SF proximity effect in Nb/Gd will be discussed in comparison to our previous results of the CoFe/Nb, Ni/Nb and CuNi/Nb proximity effect; Gd is expected to show different effects since Gd has f-electrons, while CoFe, Ni, and CuNi have only d-electrons. Our studies will focus on the triplet correlation in a superconducting pair.

Keywords

References

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