Combining superconductors (S) and ferromagnets (F) offers the opportunity to create a new class of superconducting spintronic devices. In particular, the S=F interface can be specifically engineered to convert singlet Cooper pairs to spin-polarized triplet Cooper pairs. The efficiency of this process can be studied using a so-called triplet spin valve (TSV), which is composed of two F layers and a S layer. When the magnetizations in the two F layers are not collinear, singlet pairs are drained from the S layer, and triplet generation is signaled by a decrease of the critical temperature T c . Here, we build highly efficient TSVs using a 100% spin-polarized half-metallic ferromagnet, CrO 2 . The application of out-of-plane magnetic fields results in an extremely strong suppression of T c , by well over a Kelvin. The observed effect is an order of magnitude larger than previous studies on TSVs with standard ferromagnets. Furthermore, we clearly demonstrate that this triplet proximity effect is strongly dependent on the transparency and spin activity of the interface. Our results are particularly important in view of the growing interest in generating long-range triplet supercurrents for dissipationless spintronics.

Superconductor-ferromagnet (S-F) hybrids based on half-metallic ferromagnets, such as CrO 2 , are ideal candidates for superconducting spintronic applications. This is primarily due to the fully spin-polarized nature of CrO 2 , which produces enhanced long-range triplet proximity effects. However, reliable production of CrO 2 -based Josephson junctions (JJs) has proved to be extremely challenging because of a poorly controlled interface transparency and an incomplete knowledge of the local magnetization of the CrO 2 films. To address these issues, we use a bottom-up approach to grow CrO 2 nanowires on prepatterned substrates via chemical-vapor deposition. A comprehensive study of the growth mechanism enables us to reliably synthesize faceted, homogeneous CrO 2 wires with a well-defined magnetization state. Combining these high-quality wires with a superconductor produces JJs with a high interface transparency, leading to exceptionally large 100% spin-polarized supercurrents, with critical current densities exceeding 10 9 Am −2 over distances as long as 600 nm. These CrO 2 -nanowire-based JJs thus provide a realistic route to creating a scalable device platform for dissipation-less spintronics.

The current study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of the cinnamon oil upon early stage diabetic nephropathy owing to its antioxidant and antidiabetic effect. Cinnamon oil was extracted by hydro-distillation of the dried inner bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume. Further characterization of the extracted oil was carried out using IR, (1)H-NMR, and (13)C-NMR techniques. Early stage of diabetic nephropathy was induced by administration of alloxan (150 mg/kg, I. P.). Cinnamon oil was administered at varying doses (5, 10, 20 mg/kg; I. P.) while the level of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, urea, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, reduced glutathione, and catalase were determined. These parameters in cinnamon oil treated groups were compared with those of standard (glipizide; 10 mg/kg) and vehicle treated groups in order to investigate if cinnamon oil confers a significant protection against diabetic nephropathy. Histological studies of the kidney proved the protective effect of cinnamon oil by reducing the glomerular expansion, eradicating hyaline casts, and decreasing the tubular dilatations. Our results indicate that the volatile oil from cinnamon contains more than 98 % cinnamaldehyde and that it confers dose-dependent, significant protection against alloxan-induced renal damage, the maximum decrease in fasting blood glucose having been achieved at the dose of 20 mg/kg.