Magnetic properties of superconducting Bi/Ni bilayers

The magnetic properties of an unexpected superconducting bilayer consisting of non-superconducting Bi and ferromagnetic Ni have been investigated. A large magnetization signal is observed when the sample is cooled below the superconducting transition temperature in zero magnetic field, which has the same direction with the magnetization of the adjacent Ni layer. Interestingly, this Bi/Ni bilayer shows opposite responses to external magnetic field in zero field cooling (ZFC) process and field cooling (FC) process. It behaves diamagnetically in ZFC while paramagnetically in FC. Besides, magnetic hysteresis loops below the superconducting transition temperature show flux pinning and flux jumping effects.