Irreversible magnetization switching at the onset of superconductivity in a superconductor ferromagnet hybrid
- Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom)
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)
- School of Physics and Astronomy, SUPA, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom)
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)
- Department of Physics, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX (United Kingdom)
We demonstrate that the magnetic state of a superconducting spin valve, that is normally controlled with an external magnetic field, can also be manipulated by varying the temperature which increases the functionality and flexibility of such structures as switching elements. In this case, switching is driven by changes in the magnetostatic energy due to spontaneous Meissner screening currents forming in the superconductor below the critical temperature. Our scanning Hall probe measurements also reveal vortex-mediated pinning of the ferromagnetic domain structure due to the pinning of quantized stray fields in the adjacent superconductor. The ability to use temperature as well as magnetic field to control the local magnetisation structure raises the prospect of potential applications in magnetic memory devices.
- OSTI ID:
- 22486310
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 26; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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