Angular Dependence of the Superconducting Transition Temperature in Ferromagnet-Superconductor-Ferromagnet Trilayers

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The superconducting transition temperature, Tc, of a ferromagnet (F) - superconductor (S) - ferromagnet trilayer depends on the mutual orientation of the magnetic moments of the F layers. This effect has been previously observed in F/S/F systems as a Tc difference between parallel and antiparallel configurations of the F layers. Here we report measurements of Tc in CuNi/Nb/CuNi trilayers as a function of the angle between the magnetic moments of the CuNi ferromagnets. The observed angular dependence of Tc is in qualitative agreement with a F/S proximity theory that accounts for the odd triplet component of the condensate predicted to arise for non-collinear orientation of the magnetic moments of the F layers.