Measure spin polarization using point contact andreev reflection : the realization of an experimental set up and preliminary measurements.

• Main Author: Wu, Yu.
• Other Authors: Wang Lan
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Physics::Electricity and magnetism; DRNTU::Science::Physics::Nuclear and particle physics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41738
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The topic of this thesis is studying the unbalance of the electron spin in currents, a parameter known as spin polarization using point contact Andreev reflection method. Spin polarization is the most important parameter within the field currently known as Spintronics, and is responsible for the high magnetic field-sensitivity of modem magnetoresistive devices. In this thesis the Point Contact Andreev Reflection method is used to measure and study spin polarization, with a superconductor which serves as a detector for the spin polarization of sample. In this method, the point contacts are obtained at low temperature by pressing a superconducting tip onto a sample of the normal metal. When a bias voltage forces electrons to flow from a normal metal (N) into a superconductor (8), the magnitude of the current is dependent on the spin polarization.