Magnetoimpedance Response Research Articles

Amorphous ribbons for GMI detection of stray fields FeOx magnetic filler of epoxicomposites

Magnetoimpedance (MI) effect in stress-annealed Co-based amorphous ribbon was studied in the states without and in presence of the magnetic epoxy composite of cylindrical shape. Iron oxide FeOx magnetic microparticles of different concentrations (0–70 wt.%) were used as a magnetic filler. The condition of stress annealing (350 °C, 1 h and 250 MPa specific load) were selected in order to insure the high MI sensitivity with respect to external magnetic field in the field of a few Oersted. The MI responses were modified in the presence of the magnetic epoxy composites due to the contribution of the stray fields of embedded microparticles. It was experimentally found that degree of the MI curves modification depended on the microparticles concentration. The MI characteristics were also dependent on the length-to-width ratio of the MI element. The most sensitive MI element under study showed a linear dependence with a 1 %/weightpercent microparticle concentration slope. Mathematical modeling using finite elements (FEM) protocol for the properties of short MI elements confirmed the results and highlighted the non-monotonic contribution of high-concentration composites to the MI responses.

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.

Tailoring Magnetic Properties and Magnetoimpedance Response in Nanocrystalline (Fe3Ni)81Nb7B12 Ribbons for Sensor Applications

Today, there is an increasing demand for progress in the magnetoimpedance (MI) response of cost-effective soft-magnetic materials for use in high-performance sensing devices. In view of this, we investigate here the field-annealing effects on soft-magnetic properties, magnetoimpedance response, and field sensitivity in the nanocrystalline (Fe3Ni)81Nb7B12 alloy ribbons. We observe that within the low-frequency regime, between 2 and 5 MHz, the zero-field-annealed (ZFA) ribbons exhibit the highest magnetoimpedance values. By magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, we show that this result stems from the formation of irregular transversally patched magnetic domains after annealing, which in turn explains the induced transverse anisotropy necessary to increase the GMI response. In addition, we discuss this increment in terms of skin effect. Moreover, we report that the highest sensitivity of ca. 189%/(kA/m)—15%/Oe—is achieved for the field-annealed samples whose magnetic field was applied transverse to the ribbon axis. These findings are of practical importance to develop and refine highly sensitive magnetic sensors.

Off-Diagonal Magnetoimpedance in Annealed Amorphous Microwires with Positive Magnetostriction: Effect of External Stresses

It was observed recently that the giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect in Fe-rich glass-coated amorphous microwires with positive magnetostriction can be improved significantly by means of post-annealing. The increase in the GMI is attributed to the induced helical magnetic anisotropy in the surface layer of the microwire, which appears after the annealing. The application of external stresses to the microwire may result in changes in its magnetic structure and affect the GMI response. In this work, we study theoretically the influence of the tensile and torsional stresses on the off-diagonal magnetoimpedance in annealed amorphous microwires with positive magnetostriction. The static magnetization distribution is analyzed in terms of the core–shell magnetic structure. The surface impedance tensor is obtained taking into account the magnetoelastic anisotropy induced by the external stresses. It is shown that the off-diagonal magnetoimpedance response exhibits strong sensitivity to the magnitude of the applied stress. The obtained results may be useful for sensor applications of amorphous microwires.

Comparative Study of the Magnetic Behavior of FINEMET Thin Magnetic Wires: Glass-Coated, Glass-Removed, and Cold-Drawn

In this paper, a comparative investigation of the magnetic behavior and its stress dependence in the case of FINEMET glass-coated, glass-removed, and cold-drawn microwires at low and high frequencies, respectively, is presented. The experimental results show major differences between their magnetic properties depending on the preparation method and microwire diameter. The evolution of the magnetic permeability, coercivity, and magnetoimpedance responses with the applied tensile force was investigated and analyzed in correlation with the stresses induced during preparation, their relief following annealing, and the annealing-induced structural transformations. The coercivity dependence on applied force was found to show the highest sensitivity in the glass-removed microwires, while the magnetic permeability and magnetoimpedance sensitivity to force were found to be higher in the cold-drawn samples. The results of this comparative study will enable an enhanced material selection process for various applications in miniaturized magnetic and stress sensors with increased sensitivity.

Magnetoimpedance effect in electrodeposited NiFe/Cu wire using trisodium citrate additive in plating bath

Magnetoimpedance (MI) and magnetic properties of the electroplated NiFe/Cu thin films with a steadily rising concentration of trisodium citrate (TSC) additive in the plating bath is systematically examined in a wide frequency range of 10 kHz–8 MHz. The addition of TSC to the plating bath reduces the crystalline size and coercivity of the NiFe film, resulting in increased magnetic softness and MI ratio. The grain refining action of TSC additive is responsible for the random distribution of magnetic anisotropy axis in individual tiny crystallite which enhance circumferential permeability of deposited film and its MI ratio. The optimum concentration of TSC additive is found to be 40 g/l and sample electrodeposited at that TSC concentration boosts the MI ratio to 113% as compared to 28% when no TSC is used. When the film is deposited without any additive, a typical double peak behavior of the MI response curve is exhibited at higher frequency. This feature is eradicated with slightest inclusion of TSC additive in the electrodeposition bath which is an indication that inclusion of trisodium citrate weakens the circumferential anisotropy in plated film. Based on the analytical formulation of circumferential permeability the results of MI measurements are mapped with the theoretical framework, and the circumferential permeability of the NiFe magnetic film is reconstructed by curve fitting. Through the investigation of the fitting parameters, it is found that the addition of TSC to the bath completely annihilates the circumferential anisotropy found in as deposited permalloy film which is responsible for the transition from double to single peak behavior of MI response at higher frequencies.

High-Sensitivity Wireless Sensing Using Amorphous Magnetic Microwires

Glass-coated amorphous ferromagnetic microwires subjected to variations in mass loading and parallel wire arrays with 0.5–6-cm interwire spacing were found to deliver exceptional magnetomechanical and wireless giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) responses, in the kilohertz and microwave range, respectively. The microwires allow wireless quantification of microgram mass differences: the magnetomechanical resonance frequency measured in zero applied field demonstrates an approximately linear decrease of 3 Hz/ <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{g}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , and a sensitivity response that is ten times greater than that reported for commercial METGLAS-type amorphous magnetic ribbons of comparable length. Microwave giant magnetoimpedance data collected from planar arrays of parallel microwires show either constructive or destructive interference when compared to data obtained from a single microwire. The exceptional responsiveness of the glass-coated amorphous ferromagnetic microwires to mass loading and to geometric arrangement, along with their small diameter and ease of fabrication, highlights their promise for a wide variety of sensor applications, including biosensing, civil infrastructure monitoring, and high-throughput remote detection schemes.

Large Linear Giant Magneto-Impedance Response of Microwire Annealed under Liquid Medium for Potential Sensor Applications

Herein, we have presented the giant magneto-impedance (GMI) effect, microstructure and surface domain structure of the Co-Fe-based amorphous microwires after liquid medium—anhydrous ethanol Joule annealing (AJA). The AJA technique can effectively release the radial stress and induce large a circumferential magnetic field by changing the Joule heat transfer and the circumferential domain, to further tune the GMI performance of microwire. The linear response fields (0~3.5 Oe), the high sensitivity of 124.1%/Oe and the high GMI ratio make the microwire as promising materials for the miniaturized GMI sensors. The GMI ratios of [ΔZ/Z0]max(%) and [ΔZ/Zmax]max(%) increase the near-linearly to 201.9% and 200.5%, respectively, for the 250 mA anhydrous ethanol Joule annealed wires. Moreover, a linear response to Hex (ranging from 3.5 to 25 Oe, or more) is observed, which bears the potential in fabricating bi-sensors.

Effect of dopants on magnetic and magnetoimpedance properties of rapidly solidified FeCoBM (M = Al, Cu and Si) ribbons

In this work magnetic properties, magnetoimpedance (MI) and field sensitivity (η) of rapidly solidified (Fe0.7Co0.3)80B19M1 (M = B, Al, Si & Cu) ribbons have been investigated in the frequency range 0.5 – 13 MHz. Present study shows replacement of boron (B) by a nonmagnetic element (Al, Si or Cu) can alter the thermal stability, soft magnetic and magnetoimpedance properties of the (Fe0.7Co0.3)80B20 ribbons. It is found that saturation magnetization reaches the largest value for Cu-containing sample and the smallest value for Al-containing sample. The MI studies show maximum MI ratios 30% at 5 MHz, 23% at 7 MHz, 26% at 3 MHz and 39% at 4 MHz for M = B, Al, Si & Cu respectively. Variation of MI with external magnetic field shows single peak behavior of Al-content ribbon over the entire frequency range, whereas for all other samples single peak converted to double peak at higher frequency, which indicates existence of stronger longitudinal magnetic anisotropy in Al-containing ribbon. The MI variation with magnetization, M and damping constant, α is also validated through numerical simulations using standard electrodynamics models. Present study reveals that the variations of MI response are associated with formation of soft magnetic phase and development of anisotropy with replacement of B by an additional element.

A Model for the Magnetoimpedance Effect in Non-Symmetric Nanostructured Multilayered Films with Ferrogel Coverings.

Magnetoimpedance (MI) biosensors for the detection of in-tissue incorporated magnetic nanoparticles are a subject of special interest. The possibility of the detection of the ferrogel samples mimicking the natural tissues with nanoparticles was proven previously for symmetric MI thin-film multilayers. In this work, in order to describe the MI effect in non-symmetric multilayered elements covered by ferrogel layer we propose an electromagnetic model based on a solution of the 4Maxwell equations. The approach is based on the previous calculations of the distribution of electromagnetic fields in the non-symmetric multilayers further developed for the case of the ferrogel covering. The role of the asymmetry of the film on the MI response of the multilayer–ferrogel structure is analyzed in the details. The MI field and frequency dependences, the concentration dependences of the MI for fixed frequencies and the frequency dependence of the concentration sensitivities are obtained for the detection process by both symmetric and non-symmetric MI structures.

Optimization of the high-frequency magnetoimpedance response in melt-extracted Co-rich microwires through novel multiple-step Joule heating

The optimization of the high frequency giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect and its magnetic field sensitivity in melt-extracted Co 69.25 Fe 4.25 Si 13 B 12.5 Nb 1 amorphous microwires was systematically studied through a multi-step Joule annealing (MSA) technique. The surface morphology, microstructure, surface magnetic property, and radio frequency GMI response of the Co-rich microwires were explored using techniques like microscopy, magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry, and the magnetic field dependence of the wire's radio frequency impedance (GMI). The multi-step Joule annealing protocol begins with an initial dc current amplitude ( i dc ) of 20 mA that was stepped up by 20 mA every 10 min to a maximum amplitude of 300 mA. Radio frequency GMI measurements at 20 MHz demonstrated a remarkable improvement of the GMI ratio and field sensitivity to 760% (1.75 times of that of the as-prepared wire) and 925%/Oe (more than 17.92 times of that of the as-prepared wire), respectively, after the MSA protocol with a maximum current amplitude of 100 mA. Microscopy and MOKE suggest that the MSA technique can enhance the microstructure and surface magnetic domain structure of the Co-rich magnetic microwire, which would give rise to an improved GMI ratio. The high GMI sensitivity at small magnetic fields renders these MSA-treated Co-rich microwires highly promising materials for biomedical devices that sense and monitor small, biological magnetic fields.

A Core–Shell Model for Magnetoimpedance in Stress-Annealed Fe-Rich Amorphous Microwires

The magnetoimpedance effect in a stress-annealed Fe-rich amorphous microwire with induced magnetic anisotropy in a surface region is studied theoretically. The static magnetization distribution within the microwire is described in the framework of the core–shell magnetic structure. It is assumed that the microwire has an axial magnetic anisotropy in the inner core and a helical anisotropy in the external shell appearing due to the stress-annealing. Both the diagonal and off-diagonal magnetoimpedance responses are found in terms of the surface impedance tensor. The influence of the bias current on the magnetoimpedance is analyzed. The obtained theoretical dependences are shown to be in a qualitative agreement with the results of recent experimental studies of the magnetoimpedance effect in stress-annealed Fe-rich glass–coated amorphous microwires.

Exchange bias training effect in IrMn-layer/ferromagnetic-ribbon heterostructures probed with magnetoimpedance

The exchange-bias training effect in IrMn-layer/ferromagnetic-ribbon heterostructure is studied by performing magnetoimpedance (MI) measurements. Asymmetric, hysteretic and single peak behavior of the MI response and a shift in the MI peak to zero fields accompanied by 52% increase in MI has been detected as the signature of the exchange bias (EB) and training effect (TE), respectively. Also, during the consecutive filed sweep of MI response, both EB field and the degree of asymmetry of MI decrease that is another reason for existence of TE in our sample. The analysis of the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and MI behavior establish that Hoffmann s model (Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 097203 (2004)) is a good description of our experimental data, due to the existence of a strong single cycle TE in our IrMn-layer/ferromagnetic-ribbon system.

Magneto-Impedance in Co35Fe65/Cu/Co35Fe65 Single and Bi-layer Thin Films

The magneto-impedance response in Co35Fe65/Cu/Co35Fe65 thin film magneto-impedance cells deposited by the thermal evaporation method has been studied with single and bilayer structures at the substrate temperature 300 K and 150 K. While the thin film deposited at 300 K has BCC structure, the amorphous character is dominant for 150 K deposited ones. Entire films show soft magnetic behavior with high saturation magnetization (MS) and low coercive field (HC). Bilayer thin film structure reveals higher magneto-impedance values than single-layer thin films. The relation between the magneto-impedance effect and layered structure is discussed in terms of structural growing mechanism and scattering effect. The highest magneto-impedance sensitivity (η) 37%/Oe is observed for the Co35Fe65/Cu/Co35Fe65 bilayer thin film. The HC and remanence ratio (MR/MS) values for single layer at 300 K, single and bilayer cells at 150 K are measured as 51, 158 and 253 Oe—0.48, 0.78, and 0.80, respectively. When η with the Soliton wave model is compared with the sample at room temperature, an increase of over 1700% is observed. The difference between the classical growing method at 300 K and the Soliton wave model at 150 K is the evidence of the logic of the work performed and its accuracy. The relatively high sensitivity is connected with interlayer usage and low temperature-smaller particle size in Soliton model growth. The observed findings are of practical importance to develop future technological magnetic sensor applications with high sensitivity.

Magnetoimpedance and Stress-Impedance Effects in Amorphous CoFeSiB Ribbons at Elevated Temperatures.

The temperature dependencies of magnetoimpedance (MI) and stress impedance (SI) were analyzed both in the as-quenched soft magnetic Co68.5Fe4Si15B12.5 ribbons and after their heat treatment at 425 K for 8 h. It was found that MI shows weak changes under the influence of mechanical stresses in the temperature range of 295–325 K and SI does not exceed 10%. At higher temperatures, the MI changes significantly under the influence of mechanical stresses, and SI variations reach 30%. Changes in the magnetoelastic properties for the different temperatures were taken into consideration for the discussion of the observed MI and SI responses. The solutions for the problem of thermal stability of the magnetic sensors working on the principles of MI or SI were discussed taking into account the joint contributions of the temperature and the applied mechanical stresses.

High-frequency magnetoimpedance effect in meander-line trilayered films

We report a systematic study of structural properties and quasi-static and dynamical magnetization behavior of trilayered systems produced in the meander-line geometry. Our samples consist of NiFe/Cr/NiFe layers produced by the magnetron sputtering technique. Here we grow samples with NiFe and Cr layers in a wide thickness range, keeping constant the total thickness of the trilayer. The structural properties and the quasi-static magnetic behavior were characterized by X-ray diffraction and magnetization curves, respectively. The magnetization dynamics was investigated through the magnetoimpedance effect at the high-frequency regime. The sample geometry, as well as the configuration of the magnetic fields, employed in the magnetoimpedance measurements, enabled us to modify the frequency limits in which the distinct mechanisms are acting on the magnetoimpedance response. Hence, we are able to modify/tailor the impedance as a function of both the magnetic field and probe frequency. Our results pave the way for the exploration the meander-line geometry at the high-frequency regime in samples with low dimensionalities.

Effect of moisturized air on magnetoimpedance response of Fe-based ribbons

High sensitivity and response ratio of magnetoimpedance (MI) sensors have raised interest for using them in different environments for detection of weak magnetic fields of magnetic elements even though the high dependence of the MI response to the surface condition of the MI sensor has limited its application in some environments. In this study, we investigate the effects originating from the MI measurement in moisturized air. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, it is observed that the surface of an Fe-based MI sensor has become rough and granular after the presence of moisture on its surface. Results can be useful for developing MI sensors for use in different environmental conditions.

Ultrafast Magnetization Dynamics in Metallic Amorphous Ribbons with a Giant Magnetoimpedance Response

We report on the dynamics of laser-induced magnetization in magnetic ribbons using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. Damped oscillations representing precessional motion of the magnetization vector are observed in a $\mathrm{Co}$-rich ribbon. The frequency and amplitude of these oscillations depend on the fluence of the pump laser pulse and the external magnetic field. With an anisotropy factor defined by the effective field of the magnetic anisotropy, we demonstrate that the frequency of the ferromagnetic mode activated by the laser pulses is close to the frequency of the giant magnetoimpedance response. These findings provide an opportunity to investigate the magnetoimpedance effect in the gigahertz frequency range using ultrashort laser pulses and are particularly interesting for the development of broadband sensor devices. Furthermore, our results link laser-induced magnetization dynamics with magnetoresistive sensing techniques, thus opening up the supergigahertz domain to magnetoimpedance studies.

The Performance of the Magneto-Impedance Effect for the Detection of Superparamagnetic Particles.

The performance of magneto-impedance sensors to detect the presence and concentration of magnetic nanoparticles is investigated, using finite element calculations to directly solve Maxwell’s equations. In the case of superparamagnetic particles that are not sufficiently magnetized by an external field, it is assumed that the sensitivity of the magneto-impedance sensor to the presence of magnetic nanoparticles comes from the influence of their magnetic permeability on the sensor impedance, and not from the stray magnetic field that the particles produce. The results obtained not only justify this hypothesis, but also provide an explanation for the discrepancies found in the literature about the response of magneto-impedance sensors to the presence of magnetic nanoparticles, where some authors report an increasing magneto-impedance signal when the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles is increased, while others report a decreasing tendency. Additionally, it is demonstrated that sensors with lower magneto-impedance response display larger sensitivities to the presence of magnetic nanoparticles, indicating that the use of plain, nonmagnetic conductors as sensing materials can be beneficial, at least in the case of superparamagnetic particles insufficiently magnetized in an external magnetic field.

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Magnetoimpedance of Soft Magnetic Co68.5Fe4Si15B12.5 Amorphous Ribbons

Abstract—This work studies the effect of heat treatment on the magnetoimpedance (MI) effect of soft magnetic Co68.5Fe4Si15B12.5 amorphous ribbons prepared by melt quenching on a rotating wheel. It was found that after heat treatments at temperatures of 100°C and higher there occur irreversible changes of MI over a wide range of excitation ac frequencies. A change in the magnetoimpedance response to the action of elastic tensile stresses is shown to be related to the change in the sign of saturation magnetostriction coefficient (λS), which results from the heat treatment.