Proximity effect gaps in S/N/FI structures

Abstract

We study the proximity effect in hybrid structures consisting of superconductor and ferromagnetic insulator separated by a normal diffusive metal (S/N/FI structures). These stuctures were proposed to realize the absolute spin-valve effect. We pay special attention to the gaps in the density of states of the normal part. We show that the effect of the ferromagnet is twofold: It not only shifts the density of states but also provides suppression of the gap. The mechanism of this suppression is remarkably similar to that due to magnetic impurities. Our results are obtained from the solution of one-dimensional Usadel equation supplemented with boundary conditions for matrix current at both interfaces.

arXiv commentPublished in The European Physical Journal B

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Cited by in corpus (15)

• Spin-dependent boundary conditions for isotropic superconducting Green's functions
• Theory of superconducting and magnetic proximity effect in S$\mid$F structures with inhomogeneous magnetization textures and spin-active interfaces
• Spectroscopy and critical temperature of diffusive superconducting/ferromagnetic hybrid structures with spin-active interfaces
• Non-collinear single-electron spin-valve transistors
• Spin supercurrent in Josephson contacts with noncollinear ferromagnets
• Proximity effect-assisted absorption of spin currents in superconductors
• Tuning odd triplet superconductivity by spin pumping
• Superconducting Proximity Effect through a Magnetic Domain Wall
• Conductance and current noise of a superconductor/ferromagnet quantum point contact
• Elementary Charge Transfer Processes in a Superconductor-Ferromagnet Entangler
• Realisation of de Gennes${}^{\prime }$ Absolute Superconducting Switch with a Heavy Metal Interface
• Width of the $0-\pi$ phase transition in diffusive magnetic Josephson junctions
• Quantitative Simulation of the Superconducting Proximity Effect
• Severe discrepancies between experiment and theory in the superconducting proximity effect
• 0-$\pi$ transition driven by magnetic proximity effect in a Josephson junction