Magnetization-dependent Tc shift in ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet trilayers with a strong ferromagnet -: art. no. 037004

We have measured the superconducting transition temperature T-c of Ni/Nb/Ni trilayers when the magnetizations of the two outer Ni layers are parallel (P) and antiparallel (AP). The largest difference in T-c occurs when the Nb thickness is just above the critical thickness at which superconductivity disappears completely. We have observed a difference in T-c between the P and AP states as large as 41 mK-a significant increase over earlier results in samples with higher T-c and with a CuNi alloy in place of the Ni. Our result also demonstrates that strong elemental ferromagnets are promising candidates for future investigations of ferromagnet/superconductor heterostructures.