Effect of magnetic field on microstructure evolution during disorder-order transformation in an Fe-Pd alloy

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of magnetic field on microstructure formation through the disorder-order transformation in an Fe-55Pd (at%) alloy. The Curie temperature of the disordered phase is 740 K and that of the ordered phase is 670 K. When the ordering heat-treatment is made without applying magnetic field, three lattice corresponding variants of L10-phase form equivalently. On the other hand, when the ordering heat-treatment is made under a magnetic field of 4T and higher applied in the [001] direction of the disordered phase, a single variant whose easy axis lies in the field direction is realized. Considering the present results obtained, we also suggest that magnetic field is especially effective at the early stage of ordering for the selective formation of preferable variant in Fe-Pd. as in Co-Pt previously studied [Scr. Mater. 58 (2008) 811]. © 2008 The Japan Institute of Metals.