Abstract
Magnetization measurements in superconductor/ferromagnet superlattices show a complex behavior as a function of temperature, applied field, and sample history. Based on a simple model, it is shown that this behavior is due to an interplay between the superconductor magnetization temperature dependence, the ferromagnet magnetization time dependence, and the stray fields of both materials. It is also shown that the magnetic state of the Co layers is modified by the Nb superconducting response, implying that the problem of a superconductor/ferromagnetic heterogeneous sample has to be solved in a self-consistent manner.
- Received 14 August 2007
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.77.104521
©2008 American Physical Society