Magnetic-domain structure analysis of Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets using XMCD-PEEM technique

Abstract

A combination of X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism and PhotoEmission Electron Microscopy (XMCD-PEEM) was applied to the magnetic domain analysis of Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets. The XMCD-PEEM high-resolution images revealed both the magnetic domain structures and the microstructural morphologies. In the thermally demagnetized state, each grain in a polycrystalline sample exhibits a multi-domain structure, which is magnetically coupled across grain boundaries. After the DC field-demagnetization, it changed to a single domain structure. The magnetization vector in each surface grain reversed to the negative direction during the field-demagnetization procedure because of the small coercivity in the surface region. In the present study, we observed this surface domain reversal for the first time by means of XMCD-PEEM imaging method, which is important in order to understand the surface phenomena of Nd-Fe-B magnets. © 2008 The Japan Institute of Metals.