Proximity effects in a hybrid superconductor/ferromagnetic system with Andreev reflections

• Grant number: 13/08624-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Ezequiel Costa Siqueira
• Grantee: Yuri Policei Marques
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Here we present a proposal for research in a hybrid nanostructure composed by a quantum dot (QD) coupled to two ferromagnets and a superconductor. We plan to study the transport properties of this system, such as conductance and local density of states of the QD, in terms of crossed and direct Andreev reflections. This process is established due to the proximity effect between the QD and the superconductor. Additionally, it is also possible for the QD to acquire superconducting properties due to the contact to the superconductor. However, in spite of many works in the literature, this issue has not been addressed in the present context of crossed Andreev reflections and only Coulomb correlations were taken into account. Thus, we consider here a more realistic approach under which the superconducting order parameter is also taken into account in the QD. We expect to obtain novel and interesting results which may be of interest in areas such spintronics and molecular electronics. (AU)