Antiferromagnetic and superconducting proximity effects in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ/ PrBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ superlattices

We investigate the interplay between the antiferromagnetic and superconducting order parameters in YBa₂CU₃O_7-δ/ PrBa₂CU₃O_7-δ superlattices by inelastic light scattering. The ratio of superconducting to antiferromagnetic order is varied through different modulations 4/6, 4/9, and 4/12 of (Y/Pr)Ba₂Cu₃O_7-δ layers. This allows us to identify the proximity effect of the superconducting order parameter into the antiferromagnetic barrier as signified, e.g., by the sharpening of the two-magnon excitation. This proximity effect as well as gap feature and phonon anomalies reveals the delicate interplay between superconducting and antiferromagnetic order parameters.