Sudden Critical Current Drops Induced in S/F Structures

In the search for new physical properties of S/F structures, we have found that the superconductor critical current can be controlled by the domain state of the neighboring ferromagnet. The superconductor is a thin wire of thickness ds ≈ 2ξS. Nb/Co and Nb/Py (Permalloy Ni80Fe20) bilayer structures were grown with a significant magnetic anisotropy. Critical current measurements of Nb/Co structures with ferromagnet thickness dF > 30 nm show sudden drops in two very defined steps when the measurements are made along the hard axes direction (i.e. current track parallel to hard anisotropy axes direction). These drops disappear when they are made along the easy axis direction or when the ferromagnet thickness is below 30 nm. The drops are accompanied by vortex flux flow. In addition magnetorestistance measurements close to TC show a sharp increase near saturation fields of the ferromagnet. Similar results are reproduced in Nb/Py bilayer structure with the ferromagnet thickness dF ∼ 50 nm along the easy anisotropy axes. These results are explained as being due to spontaneous vortex formation and flow induced by Bloch domain walls of the ferromagnet underneath. We argue these Bloch domain walls produce a 2D vortex-antivortex lattice structure. PACS. 72.25.Sv Critical Currents – 72.25.Qt Vortex lattices, flux pinning, flux creep – 72.25.Ha Magnetic Properties