Effect of hardness and composition gradients on Barkhausen emission in case hardened steel

The effect of gradients in hardness, structure and composition in the surface layers on magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) was investigated in two widely used low alloy steels. One material was case hardened by induction hardening. The other was case carburised. Similar hardness profiles were produced by the two treatments. It was found that the variation in structure and hardness through the case in the induction-hardened steel had a minor effect on the MBN profile. In contrast, the inhomogeneity in the case-carburised material showed up clearly. This took the form of a broadened or two-peak MBN profile. When the surface layer containing the case was removed by etching, the broadened profile was replaced by a profile with a single peak. It is concluded that the shape and position of the MBN profile is significantly affected when a gradient in microstructure is induced by a gradient in carbon content. On the other hand, a gradient in microstructure induced by heat treatment with a constant carbon level has much less affect on the MBN profile for the induction-hardened steel.     

Effect of anisotropic microstructure on magnetic Barkhausen noise in cold rolled low carbon steel

We have measured the orientation and depth dependence of the magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) in an industrial pipeline steel sheet. Thin samples were cut out from the sheet cross section at different depths, parallel and transverse to the rolling direction (rolling and transverse samples). The integrated MBN energy has shown no depth dependence for transverse samples. On the other hand, the rolling samples have shown larger MBN noise energy and strong depth dependence.The microstructure of the samples was studied by optical and electron microscopy, parameters related to the shape and the quantity of carbon precipitates and grains were extracted by image processing techniques. The strong depth and orientation dependence of the MBN have been explained by changes of the grain and precipitate microstructure.     

Study of the influence of simultaneous variation of magnetic material microstructural features on domain wall dynamics

The magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) is a phenomenon sensitive to several kinds of magnetic material microstructure changes, as well as to variations in material plastic deformation and stress. This fact stimulates the development of MBN-based non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques for analyzing magnetic materials, being the proposition of such a method, the main objective of the present study. The behavior of the MBN signal envelope, under simultaneous variations of carbon content and plastic deformation, is explained by the domain wall dynamics. Additionally, a non-destructive parameter for the characterization of each of these factors is proposed and validated through the experimental results.     

Direct observation of Barkhausen avalanche in Co thin films

We report direct full-field magneto-optical observations of Barkhausen avalanches in Co polycrystalline thin films at criticality. We provide experimental evidence for the validity of a phenomenological model of the Barkhausen avalanche originally proposed by Cizeau, Zapperi, Durin, and Stanley [Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 4669 (1997)]], where the model describes a 180 degrees -type flexible domain wall deformed by a localized defect with consideration of long-range dipolar interaction. The Barkhausen jump areas show a power-law scaling distribution with critical exponent tau approximately 1.33 for all the samples having different thickness from 5 to 50 nm, which is in accord with the two-dimensional prediction of the model.     

Traditional,Barkhausen and MAT Magnetic Response to Plastic Deformation of Low-Carbon Steel

Magnetic traditional and adaptive methods as well as Barkhausen noise analysis were used for the testing of material degradation of plastically deformed high quality low-carbon steel. The dependences of the measured magnetic (coercive field, maximum permeability, optimum adapted permeability) and Barkhausen noise (RMS voltage, power spectrum) parameters are understood in terms of the increased dislocation density. The results are discussed in the context of potential application of magnetic testing methods for the indication of plastic deformation levels of ferromagnetic construction steel products.     

Modeling of magnetic Barkhausen noise in single and dual easy axis systems in steel

Angular dependent magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) signals measured on plate steel, and on the inside and outside surfaces of sections of seam welded and spiral welded 2% Mn steel pipe are modeled by considering a system of dipole moments. The relative orientation of dipole moments is fixed within the material, but their magnitude grows in the presence of an applied field. Growth of the moments is proportional to the magnetic field projected along a particular moment axis. A single easy axis material consists of an isotropically aligned population of moments, giving the background, upon which is superimposed a population of moments with relative orientations that result in a net moment within the sample. A dual easy axis system is proposed to consist of: (i) a second population of moments with orientations resulting in a net moment with orientation different from that of the first and (ii) interactions, possibly quadrupolar in nature, that occur between the individual moments of each population. The model is used to explain differences in the angular-dependent MBN signal between the seam welded pipe, with a single easy axis, and the spiral welded pipe, with a dual easy axis. The source of the dual easy axis system in the spiral welded pipe, which is different on the two pipe surfaces, is considered in terms of the asymmetric manufacturing processes, relative to the pipe axis, applied during its production.     

Evaluation of surface decarburization depth by magnetic Barkhausen noise technique

Industrially unfavorable process of steel surface decarburization was induced by annealing in air. Two methods of after-anneal surface treatment were used: an acid pickling and a sand blasting. The obtained decarburized layers were examined by optical microscope, wave dispersive spectrometer, and surface X-ray diffraction method. Magnetic Barkhausen noise technique was tested for applicability of non-destructive characterization of the decarburized layer depth. A newly introduced parameter, Barkhausen noise coercivity, was proposed for practical use due to its sensitivity to decarburization and stability to measurement conditions. Other magnetic parameters, e.g. number of Barkhausen noise counts, were found to be sensitive to the compressive residual stress caused by the sand blasting.     

A review of three magnetic NDT technologies

Magnetic techniques are most important NDT technologies to characterize the mechanical features of ferromagnetic materials based on the physical principle of magnetic-stress coupling. A review is presented in this paper about the development of the magnetic NDT technologies. After a brief outline of the theoretical studies of the magnetic-stress coupling effect, the three popular magnetic NDT technologies are reviewed, which are magnetic flux leakage (MFL), magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) and recently developed metal magnetic memory (MMM). The first two are ascribed to the active magnetic method, and the last one is the passive method. Based on an extensive literature survey in this field, this paper focuses on the discussion of the physical mechanism and some important experimental results relevant to the three NDT technologies. The challenges for each technique in this field are also summarized.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of processing using AFM pin tool

A three-dimensional molecular dynamics (MD) model is utilized to investigate the effect of tool geometry on the deformation process of the workpiece and the nature of deformation process at the atomic-scale. Results show that different states exist between the atomic force microscope (AFM) pin tool and the workpiece surface, i.e. the non-wear state, the ploughing state, the state in which ploughing is dominant and the state in which cutting plays a key role. A relationship between the deformation process of the workpiece and the potential energy variation is presented. The potential energy variation of atoms in different deformed regions in the workpiece such as plastically deformed region, elastically deformed region and the mixed deformation region is different. The features of variations of potential energy are discussed.     

Submonolayer structures of Ce adsorbed on Mo(110) surface

The surface structure of Ce adsorbed on a Mo(110) surface was studied by reflection high energy electron diffraction. Five kinds of surface structures were found with different deposition coverages in the submonolayer region. These structures have a common feature that Ce atoms possess a periodicity with double spacing at the atomic rows in the Mo[ 10] direction. Observed at 1 ML of Ce coverage was a surface structure related to a deformed fcc Ce(111) plane.     

Changes in the composition and surface structure of alloys in regions with varying deformation

The change in the structure and composition of deformed regions hidden beneath the surface of samples are studied experimentally upon their identification by the method of successive processes of polishing and sputtering. Two present-day steel coins coated with different binary alloys, a 1-ruble coin (coated with the alloy Ni1%Fe) and a 50-kopeck coin (coated with the tompak alloy Cu10%Zn), and also a 5-kopeck coin minted in 1990 consisting of brass L60 are used as the samples. It is found that a change in the surface structure (different for the studied coins) and an increase in the light-component concentration take place in the region of increased deformation by pressing due to its diffusion to the side of greater deformation. The obtained results can be used for improving the means of determining hidden deformed regions using sputtering and stage-like analysis of the surface composition.     

Magnetic Barkhausen noise measurement by resonant coil method

This paper describes a powerful new technique for nondestructive evaluation of ferromagnetic material. A method has been developed for measuring magnetic Barkhausen signals under different coil resonance frequencies. The measurements allow one to establish the behavior relating the power spectral density maximum and the resonant coil frequency. Time-frequency analysis of Barkhausen signals puts in evidence the tuning regions for each coil, and allows clear identification of each contribution to the Barkhausen signal spectrum. This concept was used in order to evaluate the relation between the degree of plastic deformation in carbon steel samples, and the power spectral density maximum at different resonance frequencies. This result also makes it possible to the selectively modify measurement sensibility to the magnetic Barkhausen signal by using different resonance frequencies.     

Stability of the single-domain state in single crystals of triglycine sulphate

The stability of the single-domain state in single crystals of triglycine sulfate is investigated using the Barkhausen effect. Barkhausen jumps are detected upon invariable macroscopic polarization. The parameters of the observed Barkhausen jumps are estimated and compared.     

Constrained relativistic mean-field approach with fixed configurations

A diabatic (configuration-fixed) constrained approach to calculate the potential energy surface (PES) of the nucleus is developed in the relativistic mean-field model. As an example, the potential energy surfaces of ²⁰⁸Pb obtained from both adiabatic and diabatic constrained approaches are investigated and compared. It is shown that the diabatic constrained approach enables one to decompose the segmented PES obtained in usual adiabatic approaches into separate parts uniquely characterized by different configurations, to follow the evolution of single-particle orbits till the very deformed region, and to obtain several well-defined deformed excited states which can hardly be expected from the adiabatic PESs.     

Die Temperaturabhängigkeit des magnetischen Barkhausen-Effekts IV

The size distribution of Barkhausen discontinuities (magnetic moment > 6.5 · 10^?7 cgs) of very pure nickel was measured between ?195 and 360 °C on the hysteresis loop. The mean value of internal stresses was changed in a well defined manner by stretching the specimens. For different stress values the variation with temperature of the following properties is given in diagrams: The specific number and the “mean volume”² of discontinuities, the maximal value of Barkhausen susceptibility, the mean deviation of the volume of discontinuities along the hysteresis curve, and some characteristic field strengths defined by reversible and irreversible processes. Conclusions are drawn concerning the coupling of individual wall movements composing a Barkhausen jump.     

Governing conditions of repeatable Barkhausen noise response

The paper is devoted to the establishment of experimental conditions, which ensure the repeatability of magnetic Barkhausen noise testing in practice. For this task, the measurements were performed on open flat samples using different experimental configurations, including: different magnetization frequencies, sampling rates, and filter cut-off frequencies; using a sample-wrapped coil and using attached pick-up coils of various dimensions, with different lift-offs of a single yoke magnet and of the attached coil. The sample magnetization was controlled by a vertical array of three Hall sensors; their readings were extrapolated to the sample surface to precisely define its field. After analysis of the results, a scheme for an optimized sensor with a controlled field waveform was suggested to improve the measurement repeatability. The important issues of signal processing and parameter applicability were also discussed in detail.     

Visualization of the Barkhausen effect by magnetic force microscopy

By visualization of the Barkhausen effect using magnetic force microscopy we are able to provide detailed information about the physical principles that govern the magnetization reversal of a granular ferromagnetic thin film with perpendicular anisotropy. Individual Barkhausen volumes are localized and distinguished as either newly nucleated or grown by domain wall propagation. The Gaussian size distribution of nucleated Barkhausen volumes indicates an uncorrelated random process, while grown Barkhausen volumes exhibit an inverse power law distribution, which points towards a critical behavior during domain wall motion.     

Barkhausen effect in magnetic thin films: Experimental noise spectra

In this paper Barkhausen noise spectra are shown that were measured on thin uniaxial 83-17 Ni?Fe films and these spectra were compared with the known magnetic behaviour of these films. On these types of sample the Barkhausen effect had been investigated by Lambeck [1], but their Barkhausen noise spectra have not been investigated so far. The film thicknessd _m in our experiments ranged between 400 and 2400 Å. In this range a change occurs in the dynamics of the magnetization behaviour caused by transitions of the type of domain wall. The results presented here show the very strong dependence of the Barkhausen noise spectra on the type of domain wall. Films with Bloch walls always show a frequency dependence off ^?1.7 in the higher frequency range. Samples in the thickness range where the transition occurs from the Néel wall via the cross-tie wall to the Bloch wall, have exponents between ?1 and ?2. The frequencyf _c above which the measured noise intensity begins to decrease varies very much for the different films. The curve off _c versus film thicknessd _m has the same form as the curve of the domain wall mobilitym versusd _m.     

Der Elektromagnetische Aspekt der Magnetomechanischen Erscheinung in Gleich und im Monoalternant Pulsierenden Magnetfeld

The electromotive tension induced by Barkhausen discontinuities is studied. These Barkhausen discontinuities are excited by periodic mechanical stress in a d-c and a mono-alternating pulse magnetic field.