Low temperature magnetic behaviour of glass-covered magnetic microwires with gradient nanocrystalline microstructure

Slow nanocrystallization driving dynamics can be affected by the combination of two factors: sample residual stresses and sample geometry. This effect is evidenced at the initial stages of nanocrystallization of amorphous CoFeSiBCuNb magnetic microwires. Transmission electron microscopy observations indicate how crystallization at temperatures between 730 and 780 K results in a graded microstructure where the crystallization at the surface skin of the microwire, which remains almost amorphous, differs from that of the middle, where elongated grains are observed, and inner regions. However, samples annealed at higher temperatures present a homogeneous microstructure. The effect of gradient microstructure on magnetic properties has been also analyzed and a loss of bistable magnetic behaviour at low temperatures, from that obtained in the amorphous and fully nanocrystallized sample, has been observed and ascribed to changes in sign of magnetostriction for measuring temperatures below 100 K. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.