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Origin of the Inverse spin-switch behavior in manganite/cuprate/manganite trilayers.

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. Lett.

We studied ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet trilayers based on La{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} manganite and YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} (YBCO) high-T{sub c} cuprate with magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements. We find an inverse superconducting spin-switch behavior, where superconductivity is favored for parallel alignment of the magnetization in the ferromagnetic layers. We argue that this inverse superconducting spin switch originates from the transmission of spin-polarized carriers into the superconductor. In this picture, the thickness dependence of the magnetoresistance yields the spin-diffusion length in YBCO as 13 nm. A comparison of bilayers and trilayers allows ruling out the effect of the stray fields of the domain structure of the ferromagnet as the source of the inverse superconducting spin switch.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
SC; Juan de la Cierva Fellowship; Marie-Curie IRG Grant
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
965750
Report Number(s):
ANL/MSD/JA-60085
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. Lett., Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett. Journal Issue: 2008 Vol. 78; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH