Spontaneous formation of superconducting NiBi{sub 3} phase in Ni-Bi bilayer films

Journal Article · Sat Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913267· OSTI ID:22413155

Siva, Vantari; Senapati, Kartik; Prusty, Sudakshina; Satpati, Biswarup ^[1]; Avasthi, D. K.; Kanjilal, D. ^[2]

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1. Surface Physics and Materials Science Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)
2. Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India)

We report the spontaneous formation of superconducting NiBi{sub 3} phase in thermally evaporated Ni-Bi bilayer films. High reaction-diffusion coefficient of Bi is believed to drive the formation of NiBi{sub 3} during the deposition of Bi on the Ni film. Cross sectional transmission electron microscopy and glancing incidence X-ray depth profiling confirmed the presence of NiBi{sub 3} throughout the top Bi layer. Superconducting transition at ∼3.9 K, close to the bulk value, was confirmed by transport and magnetization measurements. The bilayers were irradiated with varying fluence of 100 MeV Au ions to study the robustness of superconducting order in presence of large concentration of defects. Superconducting parameters of NiBi{sub 3}, such as transition temperature and upper critical field, remained unchanged upto an ion dose of 1 × 10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2}. The diffusive formation of NiBi{sub 3} in Ni opens the possibility of studying superconducting proximity effect at a truly clean superconductor-ferromagnet interface.

• OSTI ID: 22413155
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BISMUTH
CONCENTRATION RATIO
CRITICAL FIELD
DEPOSITION
DIFFUSION
FILMS
GOLD IONS
INTERFACES
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
IRRADIATION
LAYERS
MAGNETIZATION
NIOBIUM
PROXIMITY EFFECT
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X RADIATION