We discuss aspects of Andreev reflection (AR) measurements in normal metal-superconductor (N-S) and ferromagnet-superconductor (F-S) devices. We describe the analytical model used to quantify spin polarization from the conductance measurements and discuss the validity of this simple model using parabolic bands as simple surrogates for real band structures. We present (AR) measurements of spin polarization in a $\mathrm{Cu}\text{−}\mathrm{Pt}\text{−}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $\mathrm{Co}\text{−}\mathrm{Pt}\text{−}\mathrm{Pb}$ lithographically fabricated nanocontact systems where a scattering layer of has been deliberately added to the interface to enable the study of the effect of pair-breaking scattering on AR conductance and spin polarization. We compare these results to the previously published results from clean $\mathrm{Cu}\text{−}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $\mathrm{Co}\text{−}\mathrm{Pb}$ devices and argue that the measurements in devices with the Pt layer can be explained by the presence of inelastic-scattering-induced pair-breaking effects. We modify the analytical model to include this effect and show that in some instances, it may be impossible to distinguish between the effects of a finite spin polarization and inelastic scattering. This has implications for AR measurements of spin polarization at disordered or poorly formed F-S interfaces.

• Received 12 October 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.75.094417