Proximity-induced superconductivity in platinum metals

Abstract

The diamagnetism of platinum metals (N: Rh, Pt, Pd), which is induced by the proximity effect of a superconductor (S: Nb), has been investigated for N-S double layers. Notwithstanding the strong spin fluctuation in platinum metals, the screening distance ρin N increases with a decrease in temperature and reaches a value which is expected in comparison with ρin Cu. When magnetic impurities are included in N, the proximity effect is drastically suppressed and the paramagnetism due to a giant moment is observed.

4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. B