Controlling supercurrents and their spatial distribution in ferromagnets

Kaveh Lahabi, Morten Amundsen, Jabir Ali Ouassou, Ewout Beukers, Menno Pleijster, Jacob Linder, Paul Alkemade and Jan Aarts ()
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Kaveh Lahabi: Huygens—Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, University Leiden
Morten Amundsen: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Jabir Ali Ouassou: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Ewout Beukers: Huygens—Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, University Leiden
Menno Pleijster: Huygens—Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, University Leiden
Jacob Linder: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Paul Alkemade: Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology
Jan Aarts: Huygens—Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, University Leiden

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Spin-triplet Cooper pairs induced in ferromagnets form the centrepiece of the emerging field of superconducting spintronics. Usually the focus is on the spin-polarization of the triplets, potentially enabling low-dissipation magnetization switching. However, the magnetic texture which provides the fundamental mechanism for generating triplets also permits control over the spatial distribution of supercurrent. Here we demonstrate the tailoring of distinct supercurrent pathways in the ferromagnetic barrier of a Josephson junction. We combine micromagnetic simulations with three-dimensional supercurrent calculations to design a disk-shaped structure with a ferromagnetic vortex which induces two transport channels across the junction. By using superconducting quantum interferometry, we show the existence of two channels. Moreover, we show how the supercurrent can be controlled by moving the vortex with a magnetic field. This approach paves the way for supercurrent paths to be dynamically reconfigured in order to switch between different functionalities in the same device.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02236-2

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