The effect of magnetic field heat treatment on magnetostriction of Terfenol-D 2-2 composites

Based on the analysis of the magnetostriction for Terfenol-D composites, Terfenol-D 2-2 magnetostrictive composites have been prepared with laminations perpendicular to [1 1 2] axes. Then one of the samples was annealed in the vacuum at 423 K for 15 min at the magnetic field of 240 kA/m, which is along the direction of laminations and vertical to the [1 1 2] axes of the specimen. The static magnetostriction λ and dynamic magnetostrictive coefficient d₃₃ of samples were measured under the compressive stress of 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 MPa. Effects of the compressive stress and the magnetic field heat treatment on the magnetostriction λ have been investigated. It is found that the magnetostriction of 2-2 composites can be improved under the compressive stress when the magnetic field is larger than 20 kA/m. The magnetostriction of 2-2 composites with the magnetic field heat treatment increases under compressive stress, and it can reach 1390×10⁻⁶ at the magnetic field of 200 kA/m and under the compressive stress of 4 MPa, much larger than the value of 860×10⁻⁶ without the magnetic field heat treatment. The highest magnetostriction of the 2-2 composite with the magnetic field heat treatment can reach 1530×10⁻⁶. The dynamic magnetostrictive coefficient d₃₃ of 2-2 composites with the magnetic field heat treatment have been improved, compared with that without magnetic field heat treatment. The maximum value of d₃₃ of the sample with magnetic field heat treatment is 71% larger than that without magnetic field heat treatment.     

Resin-bonded permanent magnetic films with out-of-plane magnetization for MEMS applications

Resin-bonded permanent magnets with out-of-plain direction of magnetization and improved magnetic properties for magnetic MEMS actuator have been created. The material investigated consists of magnetically anisotropic strontium ferrite particles embedded into epoxy resin matrix upto a volume loading of 80%. Intrinsic coercivity H_ci of 6000 Oe (480 kA/m), residual magnetic flux density B_r up to 4000 G (0.4 T) and maximum energy product (BH)_max of 3.0 MG Oe (23.6 kJ/m³) have been attained due to magnetic-field-induced alignment of the ferrite particles during curing process.     

Design and recording simulation of 1 Tbit/in patterned media

Design of patterned media for an areal density of 1 Tbit/in² with thermal stability is presented based on perpendicular M–H loops of the media. Required perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was estimated to be achieved with known materials. However, it is indicated that magnetostatic interaction between the dots becomes a limiting factor for achieving higher densities. Recording simulation using a Karlqvist pole head on the designed media exhibited possibility of the recording of 1 Tbit/in². Shift margin of the write head in the cross-track direction was found to be increased with elongated dots in the down-track direction. Recording simulation with an FEM-analyzed field of a side-shielded multi-surface pole head exhibited successful recording with increased cross-track shift margins as well as the effect of the elongated dot shape.     

The influence of different doping elements on microstructure, piezoelectric coefficient and resistivity of sputtered ZnO film

ZnO film is attractive for high frequency surface acoustic wave device application when it is coupled with diamond. In order to get good performance and reduce insertion loss of the device, it demands the ZnO film possessing high electrical resistivity and piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃. Doping ZnO film with some elements may be a desirable method. In this paper, the ZnO films undoped and doped with Cu, Ni, Co and Fe, respectively (doping concentration is 2.0 at.%) are prepared by magnetron sputtering. The effect of different dopants on the microstructure, piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃, and electrical resistivity of the film are investigated. The results indicate that Cu dopant can enhance the c-axis orientation and piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃, the Cu and Ni dopant can increase electrical resistivity of the ZnO film up to 10⁹ Ω cm. It is promising to fabricate the ZnO films doped with Cu for SAW device applications.     

Influence of patterning fluctuation on read/write characteristics in discrete track and bit patterned media

The read/write characteristics of non-patterned media (NPM), discrete track media (DTM), and bit patterned media (BPM) are examined by modeling the magnetization distribution of NPM and patterning fluctuation of DTM. By comparing spin-stand measurement with calculation, the magnetization distribution of NPM was well characterized with a new Voronoi cell magnetic cluster model, in which the cluster size at the track edge, 〈D_edge〉, was larger than that at the track center, 〈D_center〉 by a factor of two. Based on an analysis of patterning fluctuations seen in SEM images of DTM, line-edge roughness (LER) was modeled as a long-wavelength center-line roughness (CLR) plus a short-wavelength line-width roughness (LWR). It was confirmed that the standard deviation of the patterning fluctuation was much smaller than that of the magnetic fluctuation for NPM. This allowed DTM to achieve higher off-track performance than NPM. By examining the 747 curves, it was revealed that DTM could have an advantage in track-density of up to approximately 25% assuming patterning fluctuations can be well controlled at high track density. In BPM, fabricating accurate dots is essential. The relationship between dot defect rate and patterning fluctuation was examined, and the maximum allowable standard deviation of LER was derived as 2 nm for achieving 1 Tbspi.     

Thermal stability and switching field of hard/soft-stacked perpendicular media

The time dependence of remanence coercivity and thermal stability were investigated for hard/soft-stacked media consisting of a magnetically hard granular layer underneath a very thin soft layer with a large saturation magnetization, M_s. The values of remanence coercivity at measurement times t′=10³ and 10⁻⁵ s (pulse field) were measured, and defined as H_r and H_r^P. The remanence coercivity on the recording time scale, H_r (1 ns), and the energy barrier, ΔE/kT, were evaluated by fitting H_r and H_r^P to Sharrock's equation taking into account the power law variation of the energy barrier, n. The value of H_r (1 ns) for a (Co–Pt)–SiO₂ (9 nm)/Co–SiO₂ (2 nm) stacked medium with an interfacial coupling control layer was about 9 kOe, which was less than half of that of a (Co–Pt)–SiO₂ (9 nm) conventional medium (=21.3 kOe). The value of ΔE/kT for the stacked medium was about 111 (n=0.7), and was not significantly different from the conventional medium. Moreover, no significant difference in the rate of decrease of H_r with increasing temperature was observed between media with and without interlayers. These results indicate that the use of a thin soft layer with high M_s was effective at significantly reducing H_r with no notable change in thermal stability.     

Micromagnetic simulations for terabit/in head/media systems

Bit-patterned (BP) recording is a candidate for extending magnetic data storage towards 10 Tb/in² bit densities. An analysis of the design tolerances is carried out using dynamic micromagnetic simulations and statistical models. The effects of distributions of the magnetic material properties on phase margin and addressability error-rate during writing are investigated. At 1.3 Tb/in² a rapid increase of the error-rate is observed when the write-synchronization deviates from the optimum phase φ₀. Estimates of the fabrication and write-synchronization tolerances are derived from the phase margins. It is shown that the switching-field distribution (from intra-island variations and inter-island interactions) as well as the fabrication and synchronization tolerances must be tightly controlled for Tb/in² applications. At ultra-high densities, BP media may need to be combined with energy-assisted writing, which is referred to as second-generation BP recording.     

Piezoelectric measurements on BiFeO3 single crystal by Raman scattering

The piezoelectric response of BiFeO₃ at low temperature has been investigated by Raman scattering measurements. The application of an external electric field at T=10 K induces frequency shifts of the lowest frequency mode related to the Bi-O bonds and corresponding to the soft mode of the ferroelectric transition. The piezoelectric effect is responsible for the softening of this mode via the tensile stress leading to the expansion of the crystal. The phonon deformation potential associated with the soft mode has been estimated around −200 cm⁻¹/strain units using the linear piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃=16 pm/V. It found in the range of the ones obtained for typical piezoelectrics.     

Electronic structure and magnetic properties of the compound CeCuIn

Magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power and X-ray photoemission measurements were performed on a polycrystalline sample of CeCuIn. This compound crystallizes in a hexagonal structure of the ZrNiAl type. The magnetic data indicate that CeCuIn remains paramagnetic down to 1.9 K with a paramagnetic Curie temperature of −13 K and an effective magnetic moment equal to 2.5 μ_B. The electrical resistivity has metallic character, yet in the entire temperature range studied here, it is a strongly nonlinear function of temperature. The temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power is dominated by a small positive maximum near 76 K and a deep negative minimum at about 16 K. Above 150 K the thermopower exhibits a Mott's type behavior. The positive sign of the Seebeck coefficient in this temperature region indicates that the holes are dominant charge and heat carriers. The structure of Ce 3d_5/2 and Ce 3d_3/2 XPS spectra has been interpreted in terms of the Gunnarsson-Schönhammer theory. Three final-state contributions f⁰, f¹ and f² are clearly observed, which exhibit a spin-orbit splitting Δ_SO≈18.7 eV. The appearance of the 3d⁹f⁰ component is a clear evidence of the intermediate valence behavior of Ce. From the intensity ratio I(f⁰)/[I(f⁰)+I(f¹)+I(f²)] the 4f-occupation number is estimated to be 0.95. In turn, the ratio I(f²)/[I(f¹)+I(f²)]=0.08 yields a measure of the hybridization energy that is equal to 45 meV.     

Growth of high performance piezoelectric crystal Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 using PbO flux

Novel piezoelectric crystal (1 − x)Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-xPbTiO₃ (PZNT) has attracted much attention due to its high piezoelectric properties and potential applications in medical ultrasonic devices, sonar transducers, solid state actuators. However, the applications of PZNT crystals are limited by the lack of a simple and reproducible growth technique. In this work, large size PZNT crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman method using 50 mol% PbO as a flux. The growth conditions were optimized as mole ratio of raw materials and flux = 1:1, soaking temperature 1150-1200 °C, soaking time 10 h, the lowering rate of the crucible 0.5 mm/h and the temperature gradient near solid-liquid interface about 50 °C/mm. The maximum size of as-grown PZNT crystal was about 60 mm in length. The crystal was oriented and its piezoelectric constant d₃₃ and coupling coefficient k₃₃ were measured over 2000 pC/N and 0.92, respectively.     

Optical sensing characteristics of the photonic crystal fiber filled with magnetic fluid

A novel photonic crystal fiber sensing theory filled with magnetic fluid is proposed based on the change of the MF refractive index under varied magnetic field. The magnetically induced tuning of the magnetic fluid filled PCF propagation properties were investigated by the full-vector finite element method with a perfectly matched layer. Theoretical calculations show that both the effective refractive index and the effective mode area increase vs. the increased magnetic field, and the PCF filled MF with larger d/Λ is more sensitive to magnetic field. When the wavelength λ = 1550 nm, the duty ratio d/Λ = 0.9, d/Λ = 0.6, the effective refractive indexes increase respectively from 1.598279 to 1.617572, from 1.61948 to 1.632484, and the effective mode areas increase respectively from 3.561115 μm² to 7.052360 μm², from 6.167494 μm² to 37.221998 μm² as the magnetic field changes from 25 Oe to 175 Oe. This scheme provides theoretical foundation to use magnetic field to control light in photonic crystal fiber and also offers a potential method for magnetic field sensing based on the TIR-PCF.     

Preparation and multi-properties of insulated single-phase BiFeO3 ceramics

Six types of BiFeO₃ ceramic samples, with subtle differences in synthesis conditions, were prepared. The comparison of their phases, electrical resistivity, and porosity revealed that the use of Bi₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ powders of <1 μm size and a rapid liquid-phase sintering process of 855 °C for 5 min at 100 °C/s is beneficial to synthesize poreless single-phase BiFeO₃ samples with high electrical resistivity of ∼5×10¹² Ω cm. Deoxygenated Bi_xFe_yO_{1.5x+1.5y−δ} (x≠y, δ≥0) impurities were identified and found to be the main cause of low electrical resistivity and high porosity in the multi-phase samples. Large saturation polarization of 16.6 μC/cm² and low leakage current density of 30 mA/m², both at a high electric field of 145 kV/cm, were measured in the optimized single-phase samples at room temperature besides a large piezoelectric d₃₃ coefficient of 27 pC/N and an obvious canted antiferromagnetic behavior.     

Magnetic ordering above room temperature in the sigma-phase of Fe66V34

Magnetic properties of four sigma-phase Fe_100−xV_x samples with 34.4?x?55.1 were investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements in the temperature interval 4.2-300 K. Four magnetic quantities, viz. hyperfine field, Curie temperature, magnetic moment and susceptibility, were determined. The sample containing 34.4 at% V was revealed to exhibit the largest values found up to now for the sigma-phase for average hyperfine field, 〈B〉=12.1 T, average magnetic moment per Fe atom, 〈μ〉=0.89 μ_B, and Curie temperature, T_C=315.3 K. The quantities were shown to be strongly correlated with each other. In particular, T_C is linearly correlated with 〈μ〉 with a slope of 406.5 K/μ_B, as well as 〈B〉 is so correlated with 〈μ〉, yielding 14.3 T/μ_B for the hyperfine coupling constant.     

Low-temperature property investigation of the lead indium-niobate-lead nickel-niobate solid solution

The complex perovskite solid solution (1−x) Pb(In_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃-(x) Pb(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ has been successfully prepared by the Columbite precursor method. The temperature dependencies of the dielectric constant and pyroelectric coefficient were measured between −261 and 200 °C. Relaxor ferroelectric behavior has been noticed in all compositions across the solid solution. The room-temperature electrostrictive coefficient, Q₃₃, was 1.83×10⁻² C²/m⁴ for x=0.10. No room-temperature piezoelectric activity was detected; however, upon cooling to −261 °C the maximum coupling coefficients k_p=29%, k_t=11%, and k₃₃=31% were observed for the composition x=1.00.     

Perpendicular magnetic recording technology at 230 Gbit/in

A perpendicular recording system that allows areal densities beyond 200 Gbit/in² has been designed and tested to investigate the major challenges in perpendicular magnetic recording. The integrated write/read head has a trailing shield to improve the write head field gradient and a conventional CIP–GMR reader. The medium is a low-noise CoPtCr-based oxide medium with a CoTaZr soft underlayer. On track byte error rates at ∼ 50 Mb/s are better than 10⁻⁴ at ∼1000 kbpi. Using a 15% off-track criterion at 10⁻² byte error rate, track densities between 200–240 ktpi are realized, yielding areal densities of 210–233 Gbit/in². High-resolution magnetic force microscopy (hrMFM) has been employed to investigate the write characteristics of these heads with improved cross-track resolution. Using a quantitative analysis method, many parameters, such as transition curvature and transition width, are estimated from the hrMFM image. Significant transition curvature is found, which increases the width of the read head response to a transition, T₅₀, by 2–3 nm.These results give insights into the recording physics of perpendicular recording and in particular point out improvements required for achieving even higher areal densities.     

Preparation and recording characteristics of granular-type perpendicular magnetic recording media with thin intermediate layer

Granular-type media with thin Ru intermediate layer were prepared on a highly oriented high-B_s FeCo soft underlayer (SUL). A CoPt–TiO₂ recording layer on a Ru intermediate layer of only 2 nm had high-crystal orientation, high H_c of 6.5 kOe, and a high squareness ratio (SQ) of 0.99. The magnetic property of the SUL was also good. The recording performance was measured for the media with different Ru intermediate thicknesses by using a single-pole-type (SPT) head. The media had large reproduced output even for the Ru intermediate layer thickness of 2 nm.     

Superconductivity in porous MgB2

Porous magnesium diboride samples have been prepared by the heat treatment of a pressed mixture of Mg and MgB₂ powders. It was found that linked superconducting structure is formed down to the minimum normalized density γ_c=d/d₀≅0.16 (percolation threshold), where d is the density of MgB₂ averaged over the sample, d₀=2.62 g/cm³ is the X-ray density. Lattice parameters and critical temperature of the porous sample decrease with increasing porosity (decreasing γ) and T_c2≅32 K is minimal at γ_c. The grain boundaries in the porous samples are transparent for the current and J_c∼3×10⁵ A/cm² in self field at T=20 K in the samples with γ∼0.24.     

Exchange coupling and remanence enhancement in nanocomposite Nd–Fe–B/FeCo multilayer films

Nd–Fe–B-type hard phase single layer films and nanocomposite Nd₂₈Fe₆₆B₆/Fe₅₀Co₅₀ multilayer films with Mo underlayers and overlayers have been fabricated on Si substrates by rf sputtering. The hysteresis loops of all films indicated simple single loops for fixed Nd–Fe–B layer thickness (10 nm) and different FeCo layer thickness (d_FeCo=1–50 nm). The remanence of these films is found to increase with increasing d_FeCo and the coercivity decrease with increasing d_FeCo. It is shown that high remanence is achieved in the nanocomposite multilayer films consisting of the hard magnetic Nd–Fe–B-type phase and soft magnetic phase FeCo with 20 nm?d_FeCo?3 nm. The sample of maximum energy product is 27 MG Oe for d_FeCo=5 nm at room temperature. The enhancement of the remanence and energy products in nanocomposite multilayer films is attributed to the exchange coupling between the magnetically soft and hard phases.     

Lead-free KNLNT piezoelectric ceramics for high-frequency ultrasonic transducer application

This paper presents the latest development of a lead-free piezoelectric ceramic and its application to transducers suitable for high-frequency ultrasonic imaging. A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic with formula of (K_0.5Na_0.5)_0.97Li_0.03(Nb_0.9 Ta_0.1)O₃ (abbreviated as KNLNT-0.03/0.10) was fabricated and characterized. The material was found to have a clamped dielectric constant ε₃₃^S/ε₀ = 890, piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ = 245 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor k_t = 0.42 and Curie temperature T_c > 300 °C. High-frequency (40 MHz) ultrasound transducers were successfully fabricated with the lead-free material. A representative lead-free transducer had a bandwidth of 45%, two-way insertion loss of -18 dB. This performance is comparable to reported performances of popular lead-based transducers. The comparison results suggest that the lead-free piezoelectric material may serve as an alternative to lead-based piezoelectric materials for high-frequency ultrasonic transducer applications.     

Quantum-mechanical vs. semi-classical spectral-line widths and shifts from the line core in the non-impact region for the Ar-perturbed/ K-radiator system

New quantum-mechanical (QM) and semi-classical (SC) shifts (d's) and widths (HWHM's, w's) were measured from the line core of computed full spectral-line shapes for the Ar-perturbed/K-radiator system (K/Ar). The initial state of our model was based on a 4p²P_3/2,1/2 pseudo-potential for the K/Ar system, and the final state on a zero potential. The Fourier transform of the line shape formed the basis for the computations. Excellent agreement was found between the QM and SC values of d and of w in a high-pressure (P) non-impact region, which was characterized by a √P dependence of w and a P dependence of d. These agreements were shown to be another example of a correspondence between classical (SC) quantities and QM quantities in the limit of large quantum numbers. Typically at P=1×10⁶ Torr and T=400 K, w_QM=448 cm⁻¹ and w_SC=479 cm⁻¹, where the deviation from the mean is ±3.3%. Also, d_QM=−3815 cm⁻¹ and d_SC=−3716 cm⁻¹, where the deviation from the mean is ±1.3%. A new general method was formulated which yielded a definite pressure P₀, which was defined as an upper limit to the low-pressure impact approximation and a lower limit to the non-impact region.