The role of interface transparency and spin-dependent scattering in diffusive ferromagnet/superconductor heterostructures

Abstract

We present a numerical study of the density of states in a ferromagnet/superconductor junction and the Josephson current in a superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junction in the diffusive limit by solving the Usadel equation with Nazarov's boundary conditions. Our calculations are valid for an arbitrary interface transparency and arbitrary spin-dependent scattering rate, which allows us to explore the entire proximity-effect regime. We first investigate how the proximity-induced anomalous Green's function affects the density of states in the ferromagnet for several values of the exchange field. In each case, we consider the effect of the barrier transparency and allow for various concentrations of magnetic impurities. In particular, we address how the zero-energy peak and minigap observed in experiments may be understood in terms of the interplay between the singlet and triplet anomalous Green's function and their dependence on the concentration of magnetic impurities. We also investigate the role of the barrier transparency and spin-flip scattering in a superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junction. We suggest that such diffusive Josephson junctions with large residual values of the supercurrent at the 0-$\pi$ transition, where the first harmonic term in the current vanishes, may be used as efficient supercurrent-switching devices. It is also found that uniaxial spin-flip scattering has very different effect on the 0-$\pi$ transition points depending on whether one regards the width- or temperature-dependence of the current.

16 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B. High-resolution figures will be available in published version. Shortened abstract due to arXiv submission

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• Pairing symmetry conversion by spin-active interfaces in superconducting junctions
• Signature of odd-frequency pairing correlations induced by a magnetic interface
• Theory of superconducting and magnetic proximity effect in S$\mid$F structures with inhomogeneous magnetization textures and spin-active interfaces
• The Role of Odd-Frequency Pairing in Multiband Superconductors
• Meissner Effect Probing of Odd-Frequency Triplet Pairing in Superconducting Spin Valves
• Spin-active interfaces and unconventional pairing in half-metal$\mid$superconductor junctions
• Charge and Spin Currents in Ferromagnetic Josephson junctions
• Josephson current in diffusive multilayer superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junctions
• Odd-frequency pairing and Kerr effect in the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt${}_3$
• General conditions for proximity-induced odd-frequency superconductivity in two-dimensional electronic systems
• Emergence of Triplet Correlations in Superconductor/Half Metallic Nanojunctions with Spin Active Interfaces
• Odd-frequency Superconductivity in Driven Systems
• Proximity effect in ferromagnet/superconductor hybrids: from diffusive to ballistic motion
• Pair symmetry conversion in driven multiband superconductors
• Van der Waals heterostructures with spin-orbit coupling
• Injection of nonequilibrium quasiparticles into Zeeman-split superconductors: a way to create long-range spin imbalance
• Non-Fraunhofer Interference Pattern in Inhomogeneous Ferromagnetic Josephson Junctions
• Effective spin-flip scattering in diffusive superconducting proximity systems with magnetic disorder
• Superconducting Phase Transistor in Diffusive Four-terminal Ferromagnetic Josephson Junctions
• Effect of a spin-active interface on proximity-induced superconductivity in topological insulators
• Superconducting/ferromagnetic diffusive bilayer with a spin-active interface: a numerical study
• Phase-controlled proximity-effect in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions: calculation of DOS and electronic specific heat
• Odd-frequency superconductivity induced by non-magnetic impurities
• Odd-frequency pairing in a superconductor coupled to two parallel nanowires
• Width of the $0-\pi$ phase transition in diffusive magnetic Josephson junctions
• Temporarily enhanced superconductivity from magnetic fields