Influence of thickness and domain structure on the vortex instability of superconducting/ferromagnetic bilayers

Abstract

We report on the vortex instability in superconducting/ferromagnetic (FM) bilayers. Samples consisting of a 23 nm thick Mo2N superconducting layer with a capping layer of Co, Fe20Ni80, or FePt ferromagnets were grown by sputtering at room temperature on silicon (100). Our study reveals that the critical vortex velocity in these superconducting bilayers is significantly influenced by the thickness of the FM layers rather than the specific magnetic domain structure. When comparing samples with FM layers of 10 nm and 50 nm thickness, we observe a notable increase in vortex velocities at low magnetic fields, with speeds rising from approximately 3.5 km s−1 to around 6 km s−1 as the thickness increases. This trend extends to moderate and high magnetic fields. Furthermore, we establish a direct correlation between vortex velocities and the thermal conductance of the FM layers. These findings provide valuable insights for the interplay of magnetic and thermal properties within these hybrid systems, with potential implications for the design of future devices and applications.