Growth of [110] La$_{2 / 3}$Sr$_{1 / 3}$MnO$_{3}$ - YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7}$ heterostructures

Abstract

YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7}$ - La$_{2 / 3}$Sr$_{1 / 3}$MnO$_{3}$ heterostructures of [110] orientation are grown to allow direct injection of spin polarized holes from the La$_{2 / 3}$Sr$_{1 / 3}$MnO$_{3}$ into the CuO$_2$ superconducting planes. The magnetic response of the structure at T $<$ T$_{sc}$ shows both diamagnetic and ferromagnetic moments with [001] direction as magnetic easy axis. While the superconducting transition temperature (T$_{sc}$) of these structures is sharp ($\Delta$T$_{sc} \simeq$ 2.5 K), the critical current density (J$_c$) follows a dependence of the type $J_c = J{_o}(1-\frac{T}{T_{sc}})^{3/2}$ with highly suppressed J$_o$ ($\simeq 2 \times 10^4$ A/cm$^2$) indicating strong pair breaking effects of the ferromagnetic boundary.