Josephson effect in supercondutor/ferromagnetic semiconductor/superconductor junctions

Using a general expression for dc Josephson current, we study the Josephson effect in ballistic superconductor (SC)/ferromagnetic semiconductor (FS)/SC junctions, in which the mismatches of the effective mass and Fermi velocity between the FS and SC, spin polarization P in the FS, as well as strengths of potential scattering Z at the interfaces are included. It is shown that in the coherent regime, the oscillatory dependences of the maximum Josephson current on the FS layer thickness L and Josephson current on the macroscopic phase difference φ for the heavy and light holes, resulting from the spin splitting energy gained or lost by a quasiparticle Andreev-reflected at the FS/SC interface, are much different due to the different mismatches in the effective mass and Fermi velocity between the FS and the SC, which is related to the crossovers between positive (0) and negative (π) couplings or equivalently 0 and π junctions. Also, we find that, for the same reason, Z and P are required not to surpass different critical values for the Josephson currents of the heavy and light holes. Furthermore, it is found that, for the dependence of the Josephson current on φ, regardless of how L,Z, and P change, the Josephson junctions do not transit between 0 and π junctions for the light hole.     

Ferromagnetic insulator effects in ferromagnetic semiconductor/ferromagnetic insulator/p-wave superconductor junctions

The effect of the ferromagnetic insulator on tunneling conductance in ferromagnetic semiconductor/ferromagnetic insulator/p-wave superconductor (FS/FI/P) junctions is studied based on a scattering theory. Three kinds of pairings for the P side are chosen: p_x, p_{y ,}p_x+ip_y waves. It is shown that the spin filtering effect originating from the exchange field in the FI strongly modifies the normalization conductance. Many novel features including the zero-bias conductance dip and splitting are exhibited for fixed spin polarization in the FS. The tunneling spectrum for the heavy holes is much different from that for the light holes due to the different mismatches in the effective mass and Fermi velocity between FS and P.     

Spin dependent Andreev reflection in ferromagnetic semiconductor/d-wave superconductor ballistic junction

The Andreev reflection (AR) probability and transmission of quasiparticles in ferromagnetic semiconductor/d-wave superconductor (FS/DS) ballistic junctions are studied based on an extended Blonder–Tinkham–Klapwijk (BTK) theory. It is shown that the dependence of AR probability and pair potential on the spin orientation of incident quasiparticles for the heavy holes is much different from that for light holes due to the different mismatches in the effective mass and Fermi velocity between FS and DS. The junction conductance is dominated by the quasiparticles which undergo AR processes with the largest probability, and this provides a method for measuring the spin polarization in FS.     

Transient photoconductivity in the ferromagnetic semiconductor CdCr2Se4

The transient photoconductive response time of the ferromagnetic semiconductor CdCr₂Se₄ was measured to be smaller than 90 ps, the response time of the scope. The measurements were performed at room temperature (300 K) for 0.53 and 1.06 m excitations using a mode locked frequency-doubled YAG laser.     

Spin-dependent proximity effects in ferromagnetic semiconductor/superconductor structures

Proximity effects in normal metal/insulator/ferromagnetic semiconductor/superconductor (NM/I/FS/SC) and NM/I/SC/FS junctions are studied based on an extended Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) theory. It is found that the magnitude of the proximity effects depends to a great extent on the mismatches of the effective mass and band between the FS and SC. For NM/I/FS/SC junction, the transition of the tunneling conductance from “0” to “π” state is determined by the mass, magnetic exchange energy in FS and the thickness of FS. For NM/I/SC/FS junctions, the conductance spectrum is spin-dependent, indicating a local coexistence of weak ferromagnetism and s-wave superconductivity.     

Josephson effect through a ferromagnetic layer

We report transport measurements on Superconductor/Ferromagnet/Superconductor (S/F/S) junctions: Nb/Al/Gd/Al/Nb where gadolinium (Gd) is a weakly polarized ferromagnet. A sizeable critical current I _c is observed in the I(V) characteristics. This current can be modulated by a weak magnetic field, as expected for a Josephson current. With these experiments, we establish that superconducting coherent transport survives across a small ferromagnetic layer. The penetration depth of Cooper pairs in Gd has been measured. An extensive study of the Josephson critical current in temperature for different thicknesses of magnetic compounds is presented. A comparison of transport measurements with S/N/S junction is given through measurements made on Nb/Al/Y/Al/Nb, where yttrium (Y) is used as non magnetic rare earth metal. Received 20 September 2000 and Received in final form 22 February 2001     

Critical current calculations for long 0-π Josephson junctions

A zigzag boundary between a $d_{x^2 - y^2}$ and an s-wave superconductor is believed to behave like a long Josephson junction with alternating sections of 0 and π symmetry. We calculate the field-dependent critical current of such a junction, using a simple model. The calculation involves discretizing the partial differential equation for the phase difference across a long 0-π junction. In this form, the equations describe a hybrid ladder of inductively coupled small 0 and π resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junctions (RCSJ's). The calculated critical critical current density J_c(H_a) is maximum at non-zero applied magnetic field H_a, and depends strongly on the ratio of Josephson penetration depth λ_J to facet length L_f. If λ_J/L_f ≫1 and the number of facets is large, there is a broad range of H_a where J_c(H_a) is less than 2% of the maximum critical current density of a long 0 junction. All of these features are in qualitative agreement with recent experiments. In the limit λ_J/L_f →∞, our model reduces to a previously-obtained analytical superposition result for J_c(H_a). In the same limit, we also obtain an analytical expression for the effective field-dependent quality factor Q_J(H_a), finding that . We suggest that measuring the field-dependence of Q_J(H_a) would provide further evidence that this RCSJ model applies to a long 0-π junction between a d-wave and an s-wave superconductor.     

Resonant tunneling in magnetic semiconductor tunnel junctions with arbitrary magnetic alignments

Combining an extended Julliere model with transfer matrix method, we study the spin-polarized resonant tunneling in GaMnAs/AlAs/GaAs/AlAs/GaMnAs double barrier ferromagnetic semiconductor (FS) tunnel junctions with the arbitrary angle θ between the magnetic directions of two FS's. It is shown that tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio linearly varies with sin²(θ/2). We also demonstrate that for the heavy and light holes, the properties of the spin-polarized resonant tunneling are obviously different. The present results are expected to be instructive for manufacturing the relevant semiconductor spintronic devices.     

Pressure dependence of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation spectrum of \beta'-(BEDT-TTF)4(NH4)[ Cr(C2 O4)3] .DMF

The Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillation spectra of the -(BEDT-TTF)₄(NH₄)[ Cr(C₂O₄)₃] .DMF organic metal have been studied in pulsed magnetic fields of up to either 36 T at ambient pressure or 50 T under hydrostatic pressures of up to 1 GPa. The ambient pressure SdH oscillation spectra can be accounted for by up to six fundamental frequencies which points to a rather complex Fermi surface (FS). A noticeable pressure-induced modification of the FS topology is evidenced since the number of frequencies observed in the spectra progressively decreases as the pressure increases. Above 0.8 GPa, only three compensated orbits are observed, as it is the case for several other isostructural salts of the same family at ambient pressure. Contrary to other organic metals, of which the FS can be regarded as a network of orbits, no frequency combinations are observed for the studied salt, likely due to high magnetic breakdown gap values or (and) high disorder level evidenced by Dingle temperatures as large as ≃7 K.     

Fractional ac Josephson effect in p- and d-wave superconductors

For certain orientations of Josephson junctions between two p_x-wave or two d-wave superconductors, the subgap Andreev bound states produce a -periodic relation between the Josephson current I and the phase difference : . Consequently, the ac Josephson current has the fractional frequency , where V is the dc voltage. In the tunneling limit, the Josephson current is proportional to the first power (not square) of the electron tunneling amplitude. Thus, the Josephson current between unconventional superconductors is carried by single electrons, rather than by Cooper pairs. The fractional ac Josephson effect can be observed experimentally by measuring frequency spectrum of microwave radiation from the junction. We also study junctions between singlet s-wave and triplet p_x-wave, as well as between chiral -wave superconductors.Received: 24 September 2003, Published online: 2 April 2004PACS: 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects - 74.70.Kn Organic superconductors - 74.72.-h Cuprate superconductors (high-T_c and insulating parent compounds) - 74.70.Pq Ruthenates     

铁磁超导态/绝缘层/自旋三重态p波超导体结的直流Josephson电流

由Bogoliubov-de Gennes方程得到铁磁超导共存态(FS)的自洽方程，利用推广的Furusaki-Tsukada的电流公式计算了铁磁超导态/绝缘层/自旋三重态p波超导体(FS/I/p)结的直流Josephson电流随结的温度、相位差以及FS中磁交换能、结界面的势垒散射强度的变化关系.研究表明：FS中磁交换能、结界面的势垒散射均抑制FS/I/p结的直流Josephson电流.当自旋三重态超导体具有p_x波配对势时，自旋三重态超导体结的直流Josephson电流随结两侧相位差的振荡周期是π. 关键词： 铁磁超导态 自旋三重态超导体 p波超导体 直流Josephson电流     

铁磁半导体/d波超导结的自旋极化输运

考虑到铁磁半导体和d波超导体中空穴的有效质量和费米速度错配,运用推广了的B londer-Tinkham-K lapw ijk(BTK)理论模型,研究了铁磁半导体/d波超导隧道结的电导谱。研究表明:(1)铁磁半导体和d波超导体中空穴的有效质量和费米速度错配对系统的微分电导影响显著;(2)铁磁半导体的磁交换能对Andreev反射有抑制作用。     

Quantum point contact conductance in ferromagnetic semiconductor/superconductor junctions

An extended Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk approach is applied to study how the tunneling conductance in ferromagnetic semiconductor/s-wave superconductor (FS/SC) junction, where the FS region is a quantum wire, is manipulated by the mismatches of the effective mass between the FS and SC, spin polarization in the FS, as well as the strength of potential scattering at the interface. It is demonstrated that in the single-mode case they have different influences on the tunneling spectra.     

Josephson Effect in FS/I/N/I/FS Tunnel Junctions

The Bogoliubov de Gennes equation is applied to the study ofcoherence effects in the ferromagnetic superconductor/insulator/normalmetal/insulator/ferromagnetic/superconductor (FS/I/N/I/FS) junction. We calculated the Josephson current in FS/I/N/I/FS as a function of exchange field in ferromagnetic superconductor, temperature, and normal metal thickness. It is found that the Josephson critical current in FS/I/N/I/FS exhibits oscillations as a function of the length of normal metal. The exchange field always suppresses the Josephson critical current I_p for a parallel configuration of the magnetic moments of two ferromagnetic superconductor (FS) electrodes. In the antiparallel configuration, the Josephson critical current I_Ap at the minimum values of oscillation increases with the exchange field for strong barrier strength and at low temperatures.     

Josephson current in ferromagnetic d-wave superconductor/ferromagnetic d-wave superconductor junction

We solve a self-consistent equation for the d-wave superconducting gap and the effective exchange field in the mean-field approximation, study the Zeeman effects on the d-wave superconducting gap and thermodynamic potential. The Josephson currents in the d-wave superconductor (S)/insulating layer (I)/d-wave S junction are calculated as a function of the temperature, exchange field, and insulating barrier strength under a Zeeman magnetic field on the two d-wave Ss. It is found that the Josephson critical currents in d-wave S/d-wave S junction depend to a great extent on the relative orientation of the effective exchange field of the two S electrodes, and the crystal orientation of the d-wave S. The exchange field can under certain conditions enhance the Josephson critical current in a d-wave S/I/d-wave S junction.     

磁性半导体/磁性d波超导结中的自旋极化输运

通过求解磁性d波超导中的能隙与磁交换能的自恰方程,利用推广的Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk 理论研究磁性半导体/磁性d波超导结中自旋极化准粒子输运系数与微分电导. 计算表明： 1) 磁性d波超导结中的磁交换能h₀可导致零偏压电导峰与能隙电导峰劈裂,劈裂的宽度为2h₀;2) 磁性半导体中的磁交换能h_FS可使零偏压电导峰劈裂的峰值变低. 而由能隙电导峰劈裂的两个子峰,当两种磁性材料的磁 关键词： 磁性半导体 磁性d波超导体 自旋极化输运     

Whole-wafer fabrication process for three-terminal double stacked tunnel junctions

A new fabrication process for three-terminal superconducting devices consisting of two Josephson junctions in a stacked configuration is reported. The process is based on the deposition of the whole Nb/Al_xO_y/Nb-Al/Al_xO_y/Nb multilayer on a Si crystalline wafer without any vacuum breaking. Lift-off techniques, anodization processes and a SiO film deposition have been adopted for patterning and insulating the two tunnel stacked junctions. Devices have been characterized in terms of current-voltage (I-V) curves and Josephson critical current vs. the externally applied magnetic field. They show high quality factors (V _m values up to 65 mV at 4.2 K), and good current uniformity. Received 5 June 2001     

Decay of metastable states in Nd II

The difficulty associated with an accurate determination of transition rates for forbidden lines in lowly ionized heavy elements is illustrated in the case of Nd II. We have investigated the radiative decay of the low-lying metastable levels in Nd⁺ including the two levels K_11/2 and I_13/2. In these two particular cases, using different theoretical approaches, we find that the decay is dominated by the M1 channels but that the E2 contributions are of the same order of magnitude. These levels have also been studied experimentally by lifetime measurements with the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING of Stockholm University. The difficulties encountered when performing such experiments are underlined and discussed.     

Structural and magnetic properties of \lbrackEr|Tb\rbrackmultilayers

We have investigated the structural and magnetic properties of Er|Tb multilayers by different scattering methods. Diffuse X-ray scattering under grazing incidence reveals the interface structure in Er|Tb bilayers and trilayers, indicating vertically correlated roughness between the Er and Tb interfaces. The magnetic properties of Er_nEr|Tb_nTb superlattices have been studied as a function of the superlattice composition (indices denote the number of atomic layers). Coupled ferromagnetic structures exist in all investigated samples. The phase transition temperature varies with the Tb layer thickness. Modulated magnetic order is short range for all samples beside the Er₂₀|Tb₅ superlattice, the sample with the smallest Tb layer thickness. We observe dipolar antiferromagnetic coupling between single ferromagnetic Tb layers in all samples, with the onset of this ordering depending on the Tb layer thickness. Due to competing interactions, exchange coupling is limited to the interface near region. Therefore long range modulated magnetic order is observed in the Er₂₀|Tb₅ superlattice only, where the interface regions overlap. The distinct differences to the magnetic structure of an Er_0.8Tb_0.2 alloy film are explained by a highly anisotropic arrangement of neighbouring atoms due to the correlated roughness.