Extreme magnetic anisotropy and multiple superconducting transition signatures in a [Nb(23 nm)/Ni(5 nm)]5 multilayer

L. E. De Long, S. A. Kryukov, Amish G. Joshi, Wentao Xu, A. Bosomtwi, B. J. Kirby, M. R. Fitzsimmons

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have applied polarized neutron reflectometry, and novel SQUID and vibrating reed magnetometry to probe a [Nb(23 nm)/Ni(5 nm)]5 multilayer (ML) whose superconducting state magnetic anisotropy is dominated by confined (in-plane) supercurrents in DC magnetic fields, H, applied nearly parallel to the ML plane. The upper critical field exhibits abrupt shifts (0.1-0.6 K) in near-parallel fields, but is field-independent for μ0H < 0.8 T when the ML is exactly aligned with the DC field, indicating suppression of orbital pairbreaking and the possible presence of unconventional superconducting pairing states.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)523-530
Number of pages8
JournalPhysica C: Superconductivity and its Applications
Volume468
Issue number7-10
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Research at the University of Kentucky was supported by U.S. DoE Grant #DE-FG02-97ER45653 and Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation Grant #KSEF-148-502-03-49. A.G.J. was supported as a BOYSCAST Fellow of Indian Ministry of Science and Technology, Grant No. SR/BY/P-01/04. Prof. Jose L. Vicent of the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, contributed Nb/Ni ML for this work.

Keywords

  • Magnetic multilayers
  • Mesoscopic superconductors
  • Neutron reflectometry
  • Superconducting critical field
  • Superconducting multilayers
  • Superconducting phase diagrams

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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