paper

Controllable Josephson current through a pseudo-spin-valve structure

arXiv:cond-mat/0309430 · doi:10.1063/1.1646217

Abstract

A thin Co/Cu/Permalloy (Ni $_{80}$ Fe $_{20}$ ) pseudo-spin-valve structure is sandwiched between superconducting Nb contacts. When the current is passed perpendicular to the plane of the film a Josephson critical current ( $I_{C}$ ) is observed at 4.2 K, in addition to a magnetoresistance (MR) of $\sim$ 0.5 % at high bias. The hysteresis loop of the spin-valve structure can be cycled to modulate the zero field $I_{C}$ of the junction in line with the MR measurements. These modulations of resistance and $I_{C}$ occur both smoothly and sharply with the applied field. For each type of behaviour there is a strong correlation between shape of the MR loops and the $I_{C}$ modulation.

3 pages, 4 figures, (submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett.)