A theoretical study is given of supercurrent Bow in a one-dimensional semiconductor channel coupled to superconductors at both ends. In addition, the channel is coupled to a semiconductor reservoir by means of a junction with variable coupling strength e. The supercurrent I(p) is calculated from the phase-coherent propagation of electronlike and holelike excitations emitted by the superconductor reservoirs, together with electron and hole excitations from the semiconductor reservoir. The eAect of temperature and e on I(p) is studied. It is shown that a voltage applied between the semiconductor reservoir and the superconductors modifies the I(p) relation, even in the limit e 0.In recent years our understanding of electron transport in mesoscopic conductors has greatly improved. It has be-

Electric field-induced magnetization reversal in a perpendicular-anisotropy CoFeB-MgO magnetic tunnel junction Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 122403 (2012) Spin transfer torque devices utilizing the giant spin Hall effect of tungsten Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 122404 (2012) Modifications of magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal in [Co0.4nm/Pd0.7nm]50 multilayers induced by 10keV-He ion bombardment J. Appl. Phys. 112, 063901 (2012) Properties of magnetic nickel/porous-silicon composite powders AIP Advances 2, 032167 (2012) Additional information on J. Appl. Phys.We have investigated the thermal stability of the exchange biasing interaction in antiferromagnetic/ ferromagnetic bilayers of Ir 19 Mn 81 and Ni 80 Fe 20 or Co 90 Fe 10 . The exchange-biasing field and the coercive field were found to depend strongly on the thickness of the Ir 19 Mn 81 layer and on the crystallographic texture of the bilayer. The exchange-biasing field at room temperature has a maximum at 4 nm Ir 19 Mn 81 layer thickness and then decreases for increasing Ir 19 Mn 81 layer thickness. This coincides quite well with the thickness dependence of the ͑111͒ texture measured in Ir 19 Mn 81 layers. Removing the Ta seed layer resulted in the disappearance of the ͑111͒ texture and at the same time the exchange-biasing field decreased for all Ir 19 Mn 81 layer thicknesses. For films with a Ta seed layer and 8 nm Ir 19 Mn 81 or more, we have found a blocking temperature of 560 K, decreasing with decreasing Ir 19 Mn 81 layer thickness to around room temperature for 2 nm Ir 19 Mn 81 . Removing the Ta seed layer resulted in a decrease of the blocking temperature for all layer thicknesses investigated. We have concluded that the ͑111͒ texture is an important factor governing the size of the exchange-biasing field and the thermal stability.

No abstract