Charge Imbalance and Crossed Andreev reflection in Py/Ta Devices

James Luke Webb, Bryan Hickey, Gavin Burnell

Published 2012-03-28Version 1

Crossed Andreev reflection in a lateral spin valve geometry device is an aspect of considerable recent interest, particularly with regards to Cooper pair splitting experiments to realize solid state quantum entanglement. In this work, devices are fabricated consisting of two ferromagnetic permalloy (Py) electrodes contacted by a overlaid perpendicular superconducting Ta electrode, of variable lateral in-plane offset within the expected BCS superconducting coherence length $\xi_0$. Experimental electrical transport measurements are presented of local and nonlocal conduction, showing characteristics of non-local or crossed Andreev reflection in the superconducting state at low temperatures in addition to nonlocal effects divergent for T$\rightarrow$T$_c$ attributed to nonlocal charge imbalance.