Proximity effects in ferromagnet/superconductor heterostructures

A short survey of superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) proximity effects is presented. It is concluded that the Larkin-Ovchinnikov-Fulde-Ferrel-like state in the ferromagnetic sublayers of superconductor/ferromagnet multilayers is realized and that the transparency of the S/F interface is reduced due to the exchange splitting of the conduction band of the ferromagnetic layer and due to a chemical mismatch of the metals in contact. Modifications of the ferromagnetic state by the supercoductivity are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.