In-situ X-ray microdiffraction analysis of local strain-field across the interface in a Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 tri-layered structure

We have performed a synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction to investigate the variation of the local strain-field across the interface in Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃/Ni_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂O₄/Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT–NZFO–PZT) tri-layered structure. In this study, we show that the in-plane lattice parameters of the NZFO lattice depend strongly on the piezoelectric strain of the PZT layer. This result explains that an electric-field-induced piezoelectric strain from the PZT layer is effectively transferred to the NZFO layer. Furthermore, the local strain persists within 20 μm away from the interface, inducing changes of magnetic responses via the inverse magnetostrictive effect.     

Structural, magnetic properties and magnetostriction studies of Sm1−xNdxFe1.55 alloys

Structural, magnetic properties and magnetostriction studies of Sm_1−xNd_xFe_1.55 (0≤x≤0.56) alloys have been performed. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the presence of single cubic Laves phase in Sm_1-xNd_xFe_1.55 alloys with 0≤x≤0.48. The lattice parameter of alloys increases linearly with increase in Nd content while the Curie temperature behaves in the opposite way. The alloy x=0.08 exhibits a giant magnetostriction value (λ_∥-λ_⊥) of −2187 ppm at a magnetic field of 12 kOe due to the anisotropy compensation between Sm³⁺ and Nd³⁺ ions.     

Influence of the small substitution of Z=Ni, Cu, Cr, V for Fe on the magnetic, magnetocaloric, and magnetoelastic properties of LaFe11.4Si1.6

We have studied the magnetic, magnetocaloric, and magnetostriction properties of LaFe_11.4Si_1.6 and La(Fe_0.99Z_0.01)_11.4Si_1.6 (Z=Ni, Cu, Cr, V) compounds using magnetization and strain gauge techniques. It was found that substitution of 1% of the Fe by Z-elements results in an increase in the Curie temperature (T_C), and affects the magnetostriction and magnetocaloric properties of the parent compound, LaFe_11.4Si_1.6. A maximum shift in T_C of about 11 K, and significantly smaller hysteresis losses in the vicinity of T_C compared with those of the base compound, were found for Z=V. The maximum magnetovolume coupling constant was estimated to be n_dd≈2.7×10⁻³ (μ_B/Fe atom)⁻² for the parent compound. The changes in the volume magnetostriction, the magnetovolume coupling constant, and the magnetocaloric properties are strongly correlated with composition. The relative effects of the variation in cell parameters and electron concentration on the magnetostriction, T_C, and the magnetocaloric properties are discussed.     

Domain imaging in FINEMET ribbons

The magnetization behaviour of a ferromagnetic material depends on its domain structure, which in turn is largely determined by magnetic anisotropies. In this work, domain patterns were observed by a quite forgotten but still the simplest and the cheapest technique: the Bitter method. A systematic study of the evolution of the domain structure in FINEMET ribbons after thermal annealing is presented, correlating the results with the crystalline structure, magnetostriction and coercivity measurements.     

Magnetic transitions and magnetostrictive properties of Laves compounds Sm0.88Nd0.12(Fe1−xCox)1.93

The structure, magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of Sm_0.88Nd_0.12(Fe_1−xCo_x)_1.93 (0≤x≤1.0) alloys have been investigated. The alloys have the cubic MgCu₂ structure over the whole composition range and the lattice parameter a decreases with increasing x. For 0≤x≤0.2, substitution of Co for Fe slightly increases the saturation magnetization M_s and Curie temperature T_c, while further substitution causes a decrease in both M_s and T_c. The spin reorientation is observed, and a phase diagram for the spin configurations of the Sm_0.88Nd_0.12(Fe_1−xCo_x)_1.93 system is determined. The spontaneous magnetostriction λ₁₁₁ increases as x is increased, while a monotonic decrease of the saturation magnetostriction λ_s with x originates from the increase of λ₁₀₀ with opposite sign to that of λ₁₁₁, which may be caused by the filling of the d band due to Co substitution.     

Beneficial effect of boron on the structural and magnetostrictive behavior of Fe77Ga23 alloy

Alloys of Fe₇₇Ga₂₃B_x (x=0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.1) were heat treated at 1000 °C/10 h and characterized for microstructural features and magnetostriction. The study indicates that the parent alloy consists of three phases viz. A2 as the major phase and L1₂ and DO₃ as minor phases. However, the volume fraction of L1₂ and DO₃ decreases with B addition and as a result magnetostriction improves. The decrease in volume fraction of these phases is attributed to B-segregation to the grain boundary, which seems to prevent the formation of these phases. The alloy with x=0.1, however, exhibits an additional Fe₂B phase and consequently its presence leads to the re-emergence of the DO₃ phase, affecting the magnetostriction.     

Anisotropy of constrained magnetostrictive materials

The magnetic anisotropy of a ferromagnetic material that is free to deform is defined as the effective anisotropy, which is the sum of intrinsic anisotropy and magnetostriction-induced anisotropy. Prior works [1] and [2] (Baltzer, 1957; Kittel, 1949) indicate that if the material is undeformed then the measured anisotropy is same as its intrinsic anisotropy. When magnetostrictive materials are used as actuators or sensors they are often mechanically loaded, resulting in a restriction on the deformation. To capture their behavior in such scenarios, a modelling approach is required. Therefore, in this work, the thermodynamic accuracy of the common expressions for magnetostriction-induced and stress-induced anisotropies is first investigated. A 3D magnetoelastic model is then developed using Armstrong's implementation of an energy model. This 3D magnetoelastic model is capable of predicting the stresses induced when the magnetostriction of these materials is constrained. Using this model, it is shown that when the bulk magnetostriction of the material is clamped, the measured anisotropy will not in general be the same as the intrinsic anisotropy. It is also shown that when the magnetostriction is clamped at the microscopic level, i.e. if the material is locally constrained at the exchange length scales, then the measured anisotropy is the intrinsic anisotropy.