Ferromagnetic/superconducting bilayer structure: A model system for spin diffusion length estimation

Abstract

We report detailed studies on ferromagnet--superconductor bilayer structures. Epitaxial bilayer structures of half metal--colossal magnetoresistive La$_{\mathrm{2/3}}$Ca$_{\mathrm{1/3}}$MnO$_{\mathrm{3}}$ (HM--CMR) and high--$T_{\mathrm{c}}$ superconducting YBa$_{\mathrm{2}}$Cu$_{\mathrm{3}}$O$_{\mathrm{7-\delta}}$(HTSC) are grown on SrTiO$_3$ (100) single--crystalline substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Magnetization $M$(T) measurements show the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity in these structures at low temperatures. Using the HM--CMR layer as an electrode for spin polarized electrons, we discuss the role of spin polarized self injection into the HTSC layer. The experimental results are in good agreement with a presented theoretical estimation, where the spin diffusion length $\xi_{\mathrm {FM}}$ is found to be in the range of $\xi_{\mathrm{FM}} \approx$ 10 nm.