A superconducting switch has been developed using the magnetic fringe
field of a ferromagnetic film to control the critical current in an un
derlying superconducting Sn film. The magnetization of the ferromagnet
is rotated in the plane of the film to vary the magnitude of the frin
ge field applied locally to the superconductor from negligible to subs
tantial values. A large suppression of the critical current is observe
d. Applications as an amplifier and a nonvolatile storage cell are pos
sible, and a device based on high T-c materials has promise. (C) 1997
American Institute af Physics.