Superconducting Spintronics

Superconducting Spintronics

2 Oct 2015 | Jacob Linder and Jason W. A. Robinson
The article reviews the advancements and potential applications of superconducting spintronics, a field that combines the properties of superconductivity and spintronics to enhance device functionality and performance. Traditional studies in this area have focused on injecting spin-polarized quasiparticles into superconducting materials, but recent research has shown that creating spin-triplet Cooper pairs at carefully engineered superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces can lead to a more complete synergy between superconductivity and magnetic orders. This has opened up new possibilities for spin transport in devices, where Joule heating and dissipation are minimized. Key experimental and theoretical advances include the verification of spin-polarized supercurrents, the demonstration of significantly longer spin lifetimes for quasiparticles in superconductors compared to normal metals, and the realization of colossal magnetoresistance effects in superconducting spin-valves. These advancements have also shown that superconducting order can influence magnetization dynamics, potentially affecting domain wall motion. The review highlights the importance of spin-polarized quasiparticles and magnetoresistance in superconducting spintronics, as well as the potential for creating spin-supercurrents with net spin components without dissipation. The combination of magnetic and superconducting orders can also lead to quantum effects, such as phase battery junctions and thermoelectric effects, which could find applications in cryogenic spintronics. The authors conclude by discussing future directions, emphasizing the need for more direct verification of spin-polarization in triplet states, the development of comprehensive theories for non-equilibrium transport, and the exploration of the mutual dependence between supercurrent flow and magnetization configuration. They also highlight the potential for practical applications in cooling nanoscale systems and thermal sensors/detectors.The article reviews the advancements and potential applications of superconducting spintronics, a field that combines the properties of superconductivity and spintronics to enhance device functionality and performance. Traditional studies in this area have focused on injecting spin-polarized quasiparticles into superconducting materials, but recent research has shown that creating spin-triplet Cooper pairs at carefully engineered superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces can lead to a more complete synergy between superconductivity and magnetic orders. This has opened up new possibilities for spin transport in devices, where Joule heating and dissipation are minimized. Key experimental and theoretical advances include the verification of spin-polarized supercurrents, the demonstration of significantly longer spin lifetimes for quasiparticles in superconductors compared to normal metals, and the realization of colossal magnetoresistance effects in superconducting spin-valves. These advancements have also shown that superconducting order can influence magnetization dynamics, potentially affecting domain wall motion. The review highlights the importance of spin-polarized quasiparticles and magnetoresistance in superconducting spintronics, as well as the potential for creating spin-supercurrents with net spin components without dissipation. The combination of magnetic and superconducting orders can also lead to quantum effects, such as phase battery junctions and thermoelectric effects, which could find applications in cryogenic spintronics. The authors conclude by discussing future directions, emphasizing the need for more direct verification of spin-polarization in triplet states, the development of comprehensive theories for non-equilibrium transport, and the exploration of the mutual dependence between supercurrent flow and magnetization configuration. They also highlight the potential for practical applications in cooling nanoscale systems and thermal sensors/detectors.
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