R. H. Yu

High temperature soft magnetic materials: feco alloys and composites

We have systematically investigated the microstructural effects including grain size, precipitation, and structural order parameter on the high temperature magnetic and mechanical properties of FeCo-based commercial alloys. At high temperatures the equilibrium nonmagnetic precipitates significantly deteriorate the soft magnetic properties. Poor mechanical properties are mainly due to the nature of the ordered structure of FeCo alloys. Based on this understanding we have designed new magnetic composites by reinforcing FeCo alloys with high strength fibers. The magnetic and mechanical properties can thus be improved independently through optimizing the magnetic matrix and fiber network, respectively. These new magnetic composites show excellent soft magnetic and mechanical properties. In particularly, negligible creep has been observed at 600/spl deg/C.

Pinning effect of the grain boundaries on magnetic domain wall in FeCo-based magnetic alloys

We have studied the dynamics of grain growth and the pinning effect of grain boundaries on magnetic domain walls in FeCo soft magnetic alloys. It has been found that grain growth takes place at temperatures above 600 °C. The activation energy for grain growth in a disordered state at 820 °C is about 57.4±0.5 kcal/mole. The effect of grain size on magnetic properties has been singled out by keeping the same ordering parameter (S=0 and 0.88) for all samples studied. Microstructural characterization and magnetic measurements indicate that the grain size significantly affects the magnetic coercivity. A linear relationship between the coercivity and the reciprocal of the grain size has been universally found regardless of the heat-treatment histories. Lorenz microscopic observation demonstrates that grain boundaries act as pinning sites for the magnetic domain wall movement.

Magnetic domains and coercivity in FeCo soft magnetic alloys

The temperature dependence of coercive field Hc of the FeCo-based soft magnetic alloy associated with the microstructure has been investigated and correlated with microstructural features, such as structural ordering, second phases, and the grain size. An increase in the structural ordering parameter, determined by neutron diffraction, reduces the coercive field Hc. Lorenz microscopy observation indicates that the second phases and the grain boundaries act as pinning sites for the magnetic domain wall movement, thus increase the coercive field Hc.

Novel soft magnetic composites fabricated by electrodeposition

Soft magnetic composites have been fabricated by electrodepositing FeNi and FeCo onto W fibers with a diameter of 20 and 100 μm. Structural and compositional characterizations indicate that FeNi and FeCo-based composites are of fcc and bcc structure, respectively. The mechanical strengths are significantly improved depending on the volume fraction of W fibers. To further improve the mechanical properties of these composites, we have codeposited soft magnets and Al2O3 powders, resulting in an increase in Vickers hardness of more than 100%. Magnetic measurements show that as-deposited fibers are not magnetically soft. After proper thermal annealing, the samples exhibit excellent soft magnetic properties.

Magneto-impedance effect in soft magnetic tubes

Soft magnetic crystalline alloys have been fabricated in a tube form by electrodepositing magnetic FeNi and FeNi–Al2O3 onto W fibers with a diameter of 25 μm. Fine Al2O3 particles have also been incorporated into the magnetic matrix to improve mechanical properties. As-prepared materials are not magnetically soft. With heat treatment, the magnetic properties of these composites are similar to commercial bulk soft FeNi alloys. A giant magnetoimpedance value as large as 190% has been found in as-prepared FeNi-W with a magnetic layer thickness of 20 μm. This value is comparable to GMI observed in amorphous magnetic wires. Experiments also show that GMI values decrease when the Al2O3 content increases in a range from 0 to 7.0 at. %. This behavior is due to the increase in electrical resistivity and magnetic permeability of the samples that modifies the skin effect.

Memory effect and temperature behavior in spin valves with and without antiferromagnetic subsystems

Temperature behavior and memory effect in standard spin valves (SV) and SVs with synthetic antiferromagnetic (Co/Ru/Co) (SV-SAF) subsystems have been studied. SV-SAFs show much better temperature stability. Memory effect refers to the phenomenon that the exchange bias can be altered at temperatures (TR’s) much lower than the blocking temperature (TB), and these temperatures (TR’s) are imprinted into SVs. The memory effect greatly deteriorates the magnetoresistance behaviors in SV. Our results suggest that the memory effect is caused by a distribution of local blocking temperatures (Tb’s). The magnetization state in the pinned layer is critical in determining the temperature behavior of HE and magnetoresistance. By partially reversing the magnetization in the pinned ferromagnetic (FM) layers, we are able to separate the temperature dependencies of the local exchange bias (He) associated with regions consisting of different Tb’s. Two features have been observed: (1) the local exchange bias (He) with a narro...

Memory effect in standard spin valve structures

Memory effect has been observed in both standard top and bottom spin valves. The change of the magnetization state in the pinned FM layer, below the blocking temperature, reverses the direction of the exchange bias and destroys the magnetoresistance properties. This reversed exchange bias is much weaker, causing severe consequences in SV applications. This behavior can be explained in terms of blocking temperature distribution in the AFM layer perhaps due to the structural randomness. By varying cooling procedures, the exchange coupling in regions with different blocking temperatures can be separated. It is found that the maximum exchange bias is very close to the sum of the exchange biases in different regions. The domain wall energy in the FM layer has to be taken into account in order to explain the behavior of the reversed bias. The insertion of a synthetic antiferromagnetic subsystem (Co/Ru/Co) stabilizes the magnetization state in the pinned layer because of the additional interlayer coupling throug...