Josephson coupling through ferromagnetic heterojunctions with noncollinear magnetizations

Abstract

We study the Josephson effect in clean heterojunctions that consist of superconductors connected through two metallic ferromagnets with insulating interfaces. We solve the scattering problem based on the Bogoliubov--de Gennes equation for any relative orientation of in-plane magnetizations, arbitrary transparency of interfaces, and mismatch of Fermi wave vectors. Both spin singlet and triplet superconducting correlations are taken into account, and the Josephson current is calculated as a function of the ferromagnetic layers thicknesses and of the angle $\alpha$ between their magnetizations. We find that the critical Josephson current $I_c$ is a monotonic function of $\alpha$ when the junction is far enough from $0-\pi$ transitions. This holds when ferromagnets are relatively weak. For stronger ferromagnets, variation of $\alpha$ induces switching between 0 and $\pi$ states and $I_c(\alpha )$ is non-monotonic function, displaying characteristic dips at the transitions. However, the non-monotonicity is the effect of a weaker influence of the exchange potential in the case of non-parallel magnetizations. No substantial impact of spin-triplet superconducting correlations on the Josephson current has been found in the clean limit. Experimental control of the critical current and $0-\pi$ transitions by varying the angle between magnetizations is suggested.

7 pages, 8 figures

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• The scattering problem in non-equilibrium quasiclassical theory of metals and superconductors: general boundary conditions and applications
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• Spin Supercurrent, Magnetization Dynamics, and Phi-State in Spin-Textured Josephson Junctions
• Josephson effect and spin-triplet pairing correlations in SF1F2S junctions
• Interference phenomena and long - range proximity effect in clean superconductor -- ferromagnet systems
• Spin-valve Josephson junctions for cryogenic memory
• 0-pi Transitions in a Superconductor/Chiral Ferromagnet/Superconductor Junction induced by a Homogeneous Cycloidal Spiral
• Odd triplet superconductivity in superconductor-ferromagnet structures with a narrow domain wall
• Meissner Effect Probing of Odd-Frequency Triplet Pairing in Superconducting Spin Valves
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• Spin Controlled Coexistence of 0 and π States in SFSFS Josephson Junctions
• Spin-polarized Josephson and quasiparticle currents in superconducting spin-filter tunnel junctions
• Superconducting Spintronics with Magnetic Domain Walls
• Phase Controllable Josephson Junctions for Cryogenic Memory
• Spin-valve Josephson junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for cryogenic memory
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• Signature of the long range triplet proximity effect in the density of states
• Effective spin-flip scattering in diffusive superconducting proximity systems with magnetic disorder
• Anomalous supercurrent modulated by interfacial magnetizations in Josephson junctions with ferromagnetic bilayers
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• Static and dynamic properties of Josephson weak links with singlet and triplet coupling
• Demonstration of 0-pi transition in Josephson junctions containing unbalanced synthetic antiferromagnets