Antiferromagnetic and superconducting proximity effects in YBa2Cu3O7-delta/PrBa2Cu3O7-delta superlattices

Journal article, 2003

We investigate the interplay between the antiferromagnetic and superconducting order parameters in YBCO/PBCO superlattices by inelastic light scattering. The ratio of superconducting to antiferromagnetic order is varied through different modulations 4/6, 4/9 and 4/12 of (Y/P)BCO layers. This allows us to identify the proximity effect of the superconducting order parameter into the antiferromagnetic barrier as signified, e.g., by the sharpening of the two-magnon excitation. This proximity effect as well as gap feature and phonon anomalies reveals the delicate interplay between superconducting and antiferromagnetic order parameters.