Amorphous Microwires Research Articles

Laser and thermal control over structure and magnetic properties of PrDy-FeCo-B microwires

Magnetic microcombs are necessary in microrobotics, MEMS technologies, actuator and magnetic flow analyzer industries. Usually, magnetic microcombs are artificial linear magnets of periodic shape. We propose another type of microcombs based of microwires, where periodicity of magnetization is caused by equidistant alternation of natural domains. We have demonstrated the presence of quasi-periodic radial magnetization and the effect of temperature and magnetic field on magnetic relief in PrDyFeCoB microwires. Accurate analysis of chemical, phase and structural composition of the microwires allowed us to reveal necessary conditions for the creation of periodical magnetic relief. Annealing affects magnetic relief and changes structure of initially amorphous microwires. Crystal structure of inclusions enriched with Fe and Co instead of Dy and Pr is body-centered cubic (BCC), while the bulk of the microwire has tetragonal structure. We have found laser stimulated amorphization of surface of PrDy-FeCo-B microwires. Partial restoration of the amorphous structure in polycrystalline microwires under single laser pulse of irradiation of 1mJ power and 120 ns duration has been found in 1–2 μm depth.

Stress-dependent Magnetization Processes in Co based Amorphous Microwires

Soft magnetic materials with high magnetic susceptibility are sensitive to changing magnetic fields and generate electrical voltage signals whose spectra contain higher harmonics. Magnetic susceptibility and saturation field are largely determined by magnetoelastic interactions in amorphous ferromagnets, respectively, the amplitudes of higher harmonics should depend on external mechanical stresses. In this work, we study the processes of magnetization reversal in amorphous microwires of two compositions: Co71Fe5B11Si10Cr3 and Co66.6Fe4.28B11.51Si14.48Ni1.44Mo1.69 under the action of external tensile stresses. For the first composition, mechanical stresses exceeding a certain limit (more than 350 MPa) lead to the transformation of the magnetic hysteresis from a bistable type to an inclined one. In this case, a sharp change of the harmonic spectrum is observed. In microwires of the second composition with an initially inclined loop, external stresses cause a monotonous increase in the slope of the hysteresis loop (a decrease in susceptibility). In this case, the amplitudes of higher harmonics change significantly at low stresses, less than 100 MPa. The results were obtained by remagnetization of microwire samples using a system of flat coils, which demonstrates the potential of using these materials as wireless sensors of mechanical stresses with remote reading.

Bending annealing induced transformation of magnetic structure in Co-rich amorphous microwires

For the first time, the magnetic structure of a glass-coated microwire, previously subjected to bending annealing was investigated. Magnetic and magneto-optical analyses were performed after the sample was annealed and returned to a straightened state. Changes in the magnetic structure, induced by the bending annealing, were observed both within the microwire and on its surface. The spatial distribution of the magnetic structure was primarily attributed to the spatial distribution of the stress gradient resulting from bending stress. Special emphasis was placed on the transformation of surface domain structures, with the diversity of these structures indicating a significant influence of bending-annealing-unbending procedure on their formation process.

Advanced structure research methods of amorphous Co69Fe4Cr4Si12B11 microwires with giant magnetoimpedance effect: Part 3 – Cluster growth and crystal nucleation

This Part 3 focuses on the detailed study of the nanostructures forming in amorphous microwires which were previously received and described in the Part 2. The clustering process was studied at long-term DC Joule heating’s much lower the crystallization temperature. Particular attention is paid to the study of the redistribution of the components of the initial stage of crystallization. The studies were carried out using the Atom Probe Tomography method (APT), which allows for the identification of individually considered atoms. A description and analysis of APT data processing techniques are provided for studying the cluster structure and distribution of elements in the amorphous matrix and crystalline phases. To identify crystalline phases, data obtained using High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), as well as X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) with synchrotron radiation source were used. The applied techniques made it possible to establish that the formation of nuclei of crystalline phases is preceded by three stages of the amorphous microwire matrix evolution. At the first stage, clusters of the first and second coordination spheres appear. At the second stage, the clusters coagulate and become more than 2 nm in diameter, the stage ends with the predominance of Co-rich and silicide Me-Si clusters. At the third stage, they grow to an average diameter of 4.5 nm, the predominance of clusters of this type remains, and the formation of nuclei of crystalline phases α-Co and Co2Si, with a size of about 8 nm, occurs. This stage is characterized by high stable soft magnetic properties. With a further increase in the heat treatment temperature, a gradual deterioration of the soft magnetic properties and further structural transformation occur – structures of joint crystalline phases from two crystalline phases α-Co and Co2Si are formed in the amorphous matrix, and crystallization occurs with the alternation of these two phases. This leads to a significant redistribution of alloy components. As a result, an amorphous barrier layer is formed in the amorphous matrix near the surface of the growing two-phase substructures, enriched in chromium and silicon; this layer affects the growth of crystalline phases, slowing it down.

Tuning of magnetic bistability and domain wall dynamics in magnetic microwires

A unique combination of unusual magnetic properties, such as magnetic bistability associated with ultrafast domain wall propagation or ultrasoft magnetic properties, together with excellent mechanical and corrosion properties can be obtained in amorphous microwires. Such ferromagnetic microwires coated with insulating and flexible glass-coating with diameters ranging from 0.1 to 100 can be prepared using the Taylor-Ulitovsky method. Magnetic properties of glass-coated microwires are affected by chemical compositions of the metallic nucleus and can be substantially modified by post-processing. We provide an overview of the routes allowing tuning of hysteresis loops and domain wall dynamics in amorphous microwires and new experimental results on the dependence of hysteresis loops on external stimuli, such as applied stress and temperature.

Optimization of Giant Magnetoimpedance Effect of Amorphous Microwires by Postprocessing

Magnetic microwires with amorphous structures can present a unique combination of excellent magnetic softness and giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effects together with reduced dimensions and good mechanical properties. Such unique properties make them suitable for various technological applications. The high GMI effect, observed in as-prepared Co-rich microwires, can be further optimized by postprocessing. However, unexpected magnetic hardening and a transformation of the linear hysteresis loop into a rectangular loop with a coercivity on the order of 90 A/m were observed in several Co-rich microwires upon conventional annealing. Several routes to improve magnetic softness and GMI effect in Fe- and Co-rich magnetic microwires are provided. We observed that stress annealing could remarkably improve the magnetic softness and GMI ratio of Co-rich microwires. Thus, almost unhysteretic loops with a coercivity of 2 A/m and a magnetic anisotropy field of about 70 A/m are achieved in Co-rich microwires stress annealed at appropriate conditions. The observed change in hysteresis loops and the GMI effect is explained by stress-annealing-induced anisotropy, which is affected by the stresses applied during annealing and by the annealing temperature. While as-prepared Fe-rich amorphous microwires present a low GMI effect, appropriate postprocessing (annealing and stress annealing) allows for a remarkable GMI ratio improvement (an order of magnitude). The evaluated dependence of the maximum GMI ratio on frequency allows the identification of the optimal frequency band for the studied samples. The origin of stress-annealing-induced anisotropy and related changes in hysteresis loops and the GMI effect are discussed in terms of the relaxation of internal stresses, “back-stresses”, as well as structural anisotropy.

Stress-Dependent Magnetization Processes in Cobalt-Based Amorphous Microwires

Stress-Dependent Magnetization Processes in Cobalt-Based Amorphous Microwires

Observation of zigzag domains in the surface layer of Fe-based microwires by magnetic force microscopy

The magnetic domain structure of the surface layer of Fe-based amorphous microwires with a diameter of 20 µm (after glass removal) was investigated. An approach has been developed to study the domain structure of the curved surface of a microwire by magnetic force microscopy. It was found that in low magnetic fields the domain structure of the surface layer consisted of zigzag-shaped domains elongated along the microwire axis. These domains are inclined to the microwire axis at an angle of 45 degrees. An increase in the magnetic field along the microwire axis resulted in the transformation of the magnetic structure to the structure consisting of ring domains with an opposite orientation of the magnetic moment. The geometric parameters of both types of the domain structure were determined. The width of zigzag-shaped domains was 2 µm. The width of ring domain was 2.5–5 µm.

Performance of Fluxgate Magnetometer with Cu-Doped CoFeSiB Amorphous Microwire Core.

In this study, we investigated the effects of Cu doping on the performance of CoFeSiB amorphous microwires as the core of a fluxgate magnetometer. The noise performance of fluxgate sensors primarily depends on the crystal structure of constituent materials. CoFeSiB amorphous microwires with varying Cu doping ratios were prepared using melt-extraction technology. The microstructure of microwire configurations was observed using transmission electron microscopy, and the growth of nanocrystalline was examined. Additionally, the magnetic performance of the microwire and the noise of the magnetic fluxgate sensors were tested to establish the relationship between Cu-doped CoFeSiB amorphous wires and sensor noise performance. The results indicated that Cu doping triggers a positive mixing enthalpy and the reduced difference in the atomic radius that enhances the degree of nanocrystalline formation within the system; differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicates that this is due to Cu doping reducing the glass formation capacity of the system. In addition, Cu doping affects the soft magnetic properties of amorphous microwires, with 1% low-doping samples exhibiting better soft magnetic properties. This phenomenon is likely the result of the interaction between nanocrystalline organization and magnetic domains. Furthermore, a Cu doping ratio of 1% yields the best noise performance, aligning with the trend observed in the material's magnetic properties. Therefore, to reduce the noise of the CoFeSiB amorphous wire sensor, the primary goal should be to reduce microscopic defects in amorphous alloys and enhance soft magnetic properties. Cu doping is a superior preparation method which facilitates control over preparation conditions, ensuring the formation of stable amorphous wires with consistent performance.

Дисперсное армирование цементных систем аморфной стеклометаллической фиброй

The fiber was made from an amorphous microwire of the Co69Fe4Cr4Si12B11 alloy in a glass shell of two sizes: diameter D = 17 and 50 μm, length is 7 and 15 mm, respectively. The influence of its geometric parameters, concentration (0.5—3%) and method of introduction on mobility, average density, bending strength and compression of cement systems (solutions) have been studied. The 54% increase in the flexural strength of the cement system was established in the case of its reinforcement with amorphous glass-metal fiber with D = 17 μm in an amount of 0.5% by weight of Portland cement and 22% one in the case of reinforcement with fiber with D = 50 μm in an amount of 1%. In this case, the compressive strength changes slightly. The introduction of fiber increases the crack resistance coefficient of the studied cement systems from 0.098 to 0.116—0.164.

Microstructure and magnetocaloric properties of melt-extracted SmGdDyCoAl high-entropy amorphous microwires

Microstructure and magnetocaloric properties of melt-extracted SmGdDyCoAl high-entropy amorphous microwires

Bend Induced Magnetic Bistability in Amorphous Microwires

ABSTRACT Magnetic and magneto-optical studies were carried out in microwires that had been subjected to the bending annealing. A previously unobserved effect of bending-annealing-induced magnetic bistability was discovered. This effect is observed only in the region of the sample subjected to bending. The length of the longitudinal region of the sample, in which the effect of induced bistability takes place, depended on the bending radius. In contrast to the classical version of this effect, bending-induced bistability was accompanied by the rapid movement of the longitudinal domain wall in the microwire surface.

Magnetic Properties and Applications of Glass-coated Ferromagnetic Microwires

A remarkable magnetic softness and giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect at GHz frequency range havebeen observed in glass-coated microwires subjected to appropriate postprocessing. Co-based microwires present higher GMI effect. Insulating and flexible glass-coating allows use of magnetically soft amorphous glass-coated microwires for stresses or temperature monitoring insmartcomposites using free space facility. Such composites with magnetic microwire inclusions can present tunable magnetic permittivity. We report on in-situ the evolution of the transmission and reflection parameters of the polymer containing magnetic microwire inclusions during the polymerization process. A remarkable change of the reflection and transmission in the range of 4-7 GHz upon the matrix polymerization is observed. Observed dependencies are discussed in terms of the effect of the temperature and stresses variation on magnetic properties of glass-coated microwires during the thermoset matrix polymerization. Obtained results are considered as a base for novel sensing technique allowing non-destructive and non-contact monitoring of the composites utilizing ferromagnetic glass-coated microwire inclusions with magnetic properties sensitive to tensile stress and temperature.

The Magnetostriction of Amorphous Magnetic Microwires: The Role of the Local Atomic Environment and Internal Stresses Relaxation

We studied the magnetostriction coefficients, λs, Curie temperature, Tc, and their dependence on annealing conditions in Fe47Ni27Si11B13C2 and Co67Fe3.9Ni1.5B11.5Si14.5Mo1.6 amorphous glass-coated microwires with rather different character of hysteresis loops. A positive λs ≈ 20 × 10−6 is observed in as-prepared Fe47Ni27Si11B13C2, while low and negative λs ≈ −0.3 × 10−6 is obtained for Co67Fe3.9Ni1.5B11.5Si14.5Mo1.6 microwire. Annealing affects the magnetostriction coefficients and Curie temperatures, Tc, of both Fe47Ni27Si11B13C2 and Co67Fe3.9Ni1.5B11.5Si14.5Mo1.6 glass-coated microwires in a similar way. Observed dependencies of hysteresis loops, λs and Tc on annealing conditions are discussed in terms of superposition of internal stresses relaxation and structural relaxation of studied microwires. We observed linear λs dependence on applied stress, σ, in both studied microwires. A decrease in the magnetostriction coefficient upon applied stress is observed for Co-rich microwires with low and negative magnetostriction coefficient. On the contrary, for Fe-Ni-rich microwires with a positive magnetostriction coefficient, an increase in the magnetostriction coefficient with applied stress is observed. The observed results are discussed considering the internal stresses relaxation and short range atomic rearrangements induced by annealing on hysteresis loops, magnetostriction coefficients and Curie temperatures of studied microwires.

Development of amorphous microwires with graded magnetic anisotropy

We observed that the annealing at variable temperature allows to develop amorphous magnetic microwires with graded magnetic anisotropy. In such microwires, annealed with a temperature gradient, gradual variation of the hysteresis loops along the microwire length is observed. The peculiarity of such microwires with graded magnetic anisotropy and rectangular hysteresis loops is that in such microwires the energy landscape and hence the domain wall features, such as the domain wall velocity can be effectively controlled. Obtained spatial distribution of magnetic anisotropy must be attributed to a gradual modification of the domain structure along the length of the microwires annealed in a temperature gradient.Accordingly, we propose a rather simple route involving -annealing in a temperature gradient to design graded magnetic anisotropy in magnetic microwires.

Surface Crystallization and Magnetization-Reversal Processes in Amorphous Microwires

Surface Crystallization and Magnetization-Reversal Processes in Amorphous Microwires

Surface Crystallization and Magnetization Reversal Processes in Amorphous Microwires

Surface Crystallization and Magnetization Reversal Processes in Amorphous Microwires

The effect of cold drawing on the structure, tensile fracture strength and reliability of CuZrAl amorphous microwires

Here, cold-drawing was applied to melt-extracted Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5 amorphous alloy (AA) microwires. The structural observations and tensile deformation behaviors were studied before and after cold-drawing. The drawn wire still possesses amorphous structure. Less surface defects, higher local order degree, and greater compressive residual stress induced by cold-drawing lead to a higher tensile fracture strength and a higher reliability of the drawn wires than those of melt-extracted one. The results obtained in this paper demonstrate that the cold-drawing processing is an effective method to improve the mechanical performance of the AA wires.

MI-Sensor Element Features and Estimation of Penetration Depth and Magnetic Permeability by Magnetoresistance and Magnetoreactance of CoFeSiB Amorphous Wires

The magnetoimpedance (MI) of amorphous soft magnetic Co <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">68.15</sub> Fe <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4.35</sub> Si <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12.5</sub> B <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">15</sub> wires produced by the in-rotating water quenching technique was systematically studied. The behavior of the MI-element designed for magnetic sensors was examined in an external longitudinal dc magnetic field in the low-frequency range (f ≤ 1 MHz) and at the beginning of the intermediate frequency range (2 MHz ≤ f ≤ 5 MHz). A critical frequency of about 5 kHz - 7 kHz was observed with an initial increase in the MI effect. A maximum MI ratio of 334% was recorded at 0.95 MHz in a magnetically saturated MI-element. The intermediate frequency range is explored using the magnetoresistive - MR and magnetoreactive - MX components of magnetoimpedance Z. The MI anisotropy field profile occurs in the MHz operating frequency range with values increasing up to 25 A/m, exhibiting frequency dependence. The magnetic penetration depth was calculated using experimental magnetoresistance data, and the values obtained were about 3 μm - 4 μm for 5 MHz, showing a saturation trend. The magnetic permeability is analyzed in the framework of the electromagnetic classical high-limit model of a cylinder, which includes penetration depth and magnetoreactance. In our experiments and calculations, the classical high limit is satisfied in the operating frequency range of a few MHz. The magnetic permeability peak value is about 35% lower than the comparable data of amorphous CoFeNiMoSiB glass-coated microwires.

Tuning the giant magnetoimpedance response of a glass-coated microwire reinforced polymer by in-situ laser annealing

The ability to modify the giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect in amorphous glass-coated ferromagnetic Co-based microwire reinforced polymer via laser irradiation is presented. Through in-situ laser annealing of microwires embedded into a polymer matrix, a 25 % improvement in the GMI response is demonstrated after only 4.9 min of annealing. This improvement is compared to a conventional oven anneal technique, requiring an hour of oven annealing, subsequent sample cooling and polymer casting. This unique in-situ technique offers a novel and expedient path toward tailorable multi-functional composites in the areas of tunable electromagnetic shielding, structurally integrated antennas and magnetic sensors.