Controlling the superconducting transition by spin-orbit coupling

Whereas considerable evidence exists for the conversion of singlet Cooper pairs into triplet Cooper pairs in the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic fields, recent theoretical proposals have suggested an alternative way to exert control over triplet generation: intrinsic spin-orbit coupling in a homo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. B 2018-05, Vol.97 (18), Article 184521
Main Authors: Banerjee, N., Ouassou, J. A., Zhu, Y., Stelmashenko, N. A., Linder, J., Blamire, M. G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cobalt
Cooper pairs
Critical temperature
Ferromagnetism
Magnetic fields
Spin-orbit interactions
Superconductivity
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Summary:Whereas considerable evidence exists for the conversion of singlet Cooper pairs into triplet Cooper pairs in the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic fields, recent theoretical proposals have suggested an alternative way to exert control over triplet generation: intrinsic spin-orbit coupling in a homogeneous ferromagnet coupled to a superconductor. Here, we proximity couple Nb to an asymmetric Pt/Co/Pt trilayer, which acts as an effective spin-orbit-coupled ferromagnet owing to structural inversion asymmetry. Unconventional modulation of the superconducting critical temperature as a function of in-plane and out-of-plane applied magnetic fields suggests the presence of triplets that can be controlled by the magnetic orientation of a single homogeneous ferromagnet. Our studies demonstrate an active role of spin-orbit coupling in controlling the triplets, an important step towards the realization of novel superconducting spintronic devices.
ISSN:2469-9950
2469-9969
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevB.97.184521