Nanocrystalline Soft Magnetic Materials and Their Applications

Abstract

Nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials show attractive magnetic properties and unique microstructure. Hence, research interest in nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials has increased. FeCuM(Si)B alloys (M: Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Zr, etc.) (a trade name “FINEMET®”) known as a pioneer material in nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials (Yoshizawa et al., 1988a, 1988b; 1989a, 1990a, 1991a) consists of bcc Fe(-Si) grains of 5 – 30 nm in grain Yoshizawa and Yamauchi, diameter, which are extremely fine compared with those of conventional crystalline soft magnetic materials. They are prepared by heat treatment for crystallizing the amorphous FeCuM(Si)B alloys made by rapid solidification or deposition techniques.