Nanoscale Domain Wall Engineered Spin-Triplet Josephson Junctions and SQUID

Spin-singlet Cooper pairs convert to spin-triplet Cooper pairs on passing through a magnetically noncollinear structure at a superconductor(S)/ferromagnet(F) interface. In this context, the generation of triplet supercurrents through intrinsic ferromagnetic domain walls, which are naturally occurring noncollinear magnetic features, was proposed theoretically in the past decade. However, an experimental demonstration has been lacking in the literature, particularly because of the difficulty in accessing a single domain wall, which is typically buried between two domains in a ferromagnetic material. By patterning a ferromagnetic nanoconstriction, we have been able to realize a nanoscale S/F/S planar junction, where a single domain wall (pinned at the nanoconstriction) acts as a Josephson barrier. In this geometry, we are able to show the predicted long-range triplet supercurrent across a ferromagnetic barrier exceeding 70 nm. Using this technique, we have demonstrated a ferromagnetic planar nano-SQUID device consisting of two Nb/Ni/Nb spin-triplet Josephson junctions.

Automated summary

Researchers have successfully realized a nanoscale S/F/S planar junction by patterning a ferromagnetic material, showing long-range triplet supercurrents crossing a ferromagnetic barrier. They have also demonstrated a ferromagnetic planar nano-SQUID device consisting of two spin-triplet Josephson junctions.