Influence of Ge on magnetic and structural properties of Joule-heated Co-based ribbons: Giant magnetoimpedance response

Studies of magnetic and structural properties of Fe_3.5Co_66.5Si_12−xGe_xB₁₈ (x=0, 3, and 6) soft magnetic ribbons obtained by melt-spinning were performed. The samples were submitted to Joule-heating treatments with different maximum current values (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.8 A, respectively) with steps of 0.01 A and times by step of 1, 2, and 10 s). X-ray diffraction, temperature dependence of magnetization (for the as-quenched samples), coercivity and giant magnetoimpedance (GMI), measured at different frequencies (100, 500, and 900 kHz, respectively) were performed. All the samples crystallized at annealing currents higher than 0.4 A, which was consistent with the magnetic hardening of the material. Coercivities less than 1 A/m were obtained for the three samples between 0.1 and 0.2 A. Maximum value of GMI response was observed for the sample without Ge in the as-quenched state.