Non-Equilibrium Spin- and Charge Transport Phenomena in Superconductor-Ferromagnet Hybrid Structures

Over the past few years, hybrid superconducting nanostructures attracted tremendous interest in condensed matter physics due to their great potential in dissipation-less spintronic devices with unprecedented switching rates. The practical realization of such devices, however, requires a complete understanding of the transfer and the dynamics of spin- and charge currents between superconducting (S) and ferromagnetic (F) circuit elements, as well as the coupling between spin- and charge degrees of freedom in these systems. Here we explore both local and non-local transport properties of lateral, superconducting spin-valves and ferromagnetic Josephson junctions. In diffusive S-FS'-S proximity junctions, the spin-polarized spacer leads to a non-sinusoidal current-phase relationship, which is investigated via the occurrence of Shapiro steps in the IV characteristics under microwave irradiation depending on the magnetization state of the F spacer. An interesting question remains, whether superconducting triplet pair correlations can be induced in extended S-F-S junctions incorporating a long ferromagnetic spacer with a dynamic magnetization via magnon scattering. The latter would provide means to generate spin-polarized supercurrents in S/F heterojunctions for superconducting spintronic applications.