The superconducting spin valve and triplet superconductivity

A review of our recent results on the spin valve effect is presented. We have used a theoretically proposed spin switch design F1/F2/S comprising a ferromagnetic bilayer (F1/F2) as a ferromagnetic component, and an ordinary superconductor (S) as the second interface component. Based on it we have prepared and studied in detail a set of multilayers CoO_x/Fe1/Cu/Fe2/S (S=In or Pb). In these heterostructures we have realized for the first time a full spin switch effect for the superconducting current, have observed its sign-changing oscillating behavior as a function of the Fe2-layer thickness and finally have obtained direct evidence for the long-range triplet superconductivity arising due to noncollinearity of the magnetizations of the Fe1 and Fe2 layers. - Highlights: • We studied a spin switch design F1/F2/S. • We prepared a set of multilayers CoOx/Fe1/Cu/Fe2/S (S=In or Pb). • The full spin switch effect for the superconducting current was realized. • We observed its oscillating behavior as a function of the Fe2-layer thickness. • We obtained direct evidence for the long-range triplet superconductivity