Abstract We report sputtered [Pt/Co(dCo)/Cu]×15multilayers and their integration with superconducting Nb. Tuning the Co thicknessdCo = 0.6–1.2 nm transforms nearly square perpendicular hysteresis into wasp-waisted switching, while room-temperature magnetic force microscopy (MFM) shows a progression from sparse to dense worm-like domains. Hall measurements on thedCo = 1.2 nm stack reveal an antisymmetric excess Hall signal, obtained after subtracting the ordinary and anomalous components. Incorporating Nb layers of thickness 20 and 60 nm beneath the magnetic multilayer preserves wasp-waisted loops and MFM contrast, whereas a layer of 120 nm modifies the hysteresis loop. A 60 nm Nb layer above the magnetic multilayer reduces the MFM contrast. In low temperature magnetic field dependent MFM imaging, a progression from worm-like to isolated skyrmion-like domains is observed on the application of perpendicular field. Nb–[Pt/Co/Cu]×15heterostructures exhibit the expected suppression ofTcwith decreasing Nb thickness, with an additional reduction relative to single-layer Nb films. These results provide practical design rules, particularly layer order and Nb thickness, for integrating conventional superconductivity with magnetic multilayers.
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Fracture resistance of Cu/Nb metallic nanolayered composite
In this work, molecular dynamics simulations to explore the crack propagation and fracture behavior of Cu/Nb metallic nanolayered composites (MNCs) were performed. The results of this study are consistent with the previous experimental results, which illustrated that cracks in Cu and Nb layers may exhibit different propagation paths and distances under the isostrain loading condition. The analysis reveals that the interface can increase the fracture resistance of the Nb layer in Cu/Nb MNCs by providing the dislocation sources to generate the plastic strain at the front of the crack. Increasing the layer thickness can enhance the fracture resistance of both Cu and Nb layers, as the critical stress for activating the dislocation motion decreases with the increment of the layer thickness. In addition, grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystalline Cu/Nb samples would decrease the fracture resistance of Nb layer by promoting the crack propagate along the GBs, i.e., intergranular fracture, while the effect of interface and layer thickness on the fracture resistance of MNCs will not be altered by introducing the GBs in MNCs.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1652662
- PAR ID:
- 10128842
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Materials Research
- Volume:
- 34
- Issue:
- 9
- ISSN:
- 0884-2914
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1533 to 1541
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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