The Nernst effect in ferromagnet–superconductor bilayer heterostructures

We report the transport properties of the La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ (LSMO)/YBa₂Cu₃O_7+d (YBCO) heterostructures in the vicinity of the superconducting transition. The bottom deposited manganite was an LSMO ferromagnet with a Curie temperature of 350 K, while the top deposited cuprate was a nearly optimally doped YBCO superconductor with T _c ∼ 90 K. The samples used in these studies had fixed a thickness of LSMO layer (90 nm), whereas the thickness of the YBCO layer was varied between 20 and 100 nm. Single YBCO layers with respective thicknesses were also measured for comparison. The mixed state properties of the bilayers and single layers were characterized by means of the Nernst effect and electrical resistance measurements in magnetic fields of up to B = 12.5 T. All investigated samples show a zero-resistance state below T = 60 K in a field of 12.5 T and demonstrate gradual degradation of the superconducting properties with decreasing thickness of the YBCO layer in bilayer structures. (paper)