Speaker
Description
Spin transfer electronics (spintronics) promises an outstanding improvement of basic electronic devices by incorporating the electron’s spin degree of freedom instead of (or in addition to) their charge. Spin polarized Heusler alloys are highly relevant for spintronic applications owning to their predicted half-metallicity, high Curie temperature and high magnetic moment.
Cylindrical nanowires made of Co$_2$FeSn Heusler alloy with high spin polarization have been synthetized via template-assisted electrochemical deposition in nanoporous anodic alumina membranes. The basic structural and magnetic characterization revealed a B$2$-type cubic ordered Heusler structure and the $[110]$ direction preferably aligned with the longitudinal axis of the polycrystalline nanowires. The easy magnetization axis is parallel to the nanowire´s axis too. Spin polarization measurements using Point-Contact Andreev Reflection spectroscopy between a superconducting Nb tip and Co$_2$FeSn Heusler nanowires have been performed. The spectroscopic measurements performed on the nanowire´s fresh surface released high polarization values i.e. $P = 0.85-1$ and prove that the high spin polarization or half-metallicity will be preserved in the nanoscale regime. The presented results open the possibilities towards future exploration of Heusler nanowires with high spin polarization, which are promising materials for applications in spintronics and high-density magnetic data recording.
