0-π oscillations in nanostructured Nb/Fe/Nb Josephson junctions

The physics of the π phase shift in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions may enable a range of applications for spin-electronic devices and quantum computing. We investigate transitions from “0” to “π” states in Nb/Fe/Nb Josephson junctions by varying the Fe barrier thickness from 0.5 nm to 5.5 nm. From magnetic measurements we estimate for Fe a magnetic dead layer of about 1.1 nm. By fitting the characteristic voltage oscillations with existing theoretical models we extrapolate an exchange energy of 256 meV, a Fermi velocity of 1.98 ×10<Superscript>5</Superscript> m/s and an electron mean free path of 6.2 nm, in agreement with other reported values. From the temperature dependence of the I<Subscript>C</Subscript>R<Subscript>N</Subscript> product we show that its decay rate exhibits a nonmonotonic oscillatory behavior with the Fe barrier thickness. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2007