Point contact Andreev reflection by nanoindentation of polymethyl methacrylate

Abstract

A versatile technique for performing spin polarization measurements via point contact Andreev reflection has been developed. This technique involves depositing a superconductor (lead) onto a thin film of the material to be studied through a nanohole formed in a layer of photoresist, using an atomic force microscope as a nanoindenter. Copper and nickel were used to demonstrate the method. The polarizations of CrO2 and Co2MnSi were also measured, the former giving a value of 95%, as expected, and the latter giving 20%, which was surprisingly low for a candidate half metal. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.