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Macroscopic quantum tunnelling in spin filter ferromagnetic Josephson junctions.


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Authors

Massarotti, D 
Pal, A 
Rotoli, G 
Longobardi, L 
Blamire, MG 

Abstract

The interfacial coupling of two materials with different ordered phases, such as a superconductor (S) and a ferromagnet (F), is driving new fundamental physics and innovative applications. For example, the creation of spin-filter Josephson junctions and the demonstration of triplet supercurrents have suggested the potential of a dissipationless version of spintronics based on unconventional superconductivity. Here we demonstrate evidence for active quantum applications of S-F-S junctions, through the observation of macroscopic quantum tunnelling in Josephson junctions with GdN ferromagnetic insulator barriers. We show a clear transition from thermal to quantum regime at a crossover temperature of about 100 mK at zero magnetic field in junctions, which present clear signatures of unconventional superconductivity. Following previous demonstration of passive S-F-S phase shifters in a phase qubit, our result paves the way to the active use of spin filter Josephson systems in quantum hybrid circuits.

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Keywords

cond-mat.supr-con, cond-mat.supr-con

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

6

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
We acknowledge financial support from COST Action MP1201 [NanoSC COST], by Progetto FIRB HybridNanoDev RBFR1236VV001 and by Regione Campania through POR Campania FSE 2007/2013, progetto MASTRI CUP B25B09000010007.