Vol 125, No 2 (2024)

Soft magnetic materials with high magnetic susceptibility are sensitive to changing magnetic fields and generate electrical voltage signals whose spectra contain higher harmonics. Magnetic susceptibility and saturation field are largely determined by magnetoelastic interactions in amorphous ferromagnets, respectively, the amplitudes of higher harmonics should depend on external mechanical stresses. In this work, we study the processes of magnetization reversal in amorphous microwires of two compositions: Co₇₁Fe₅B₁₁Si₁₀Cr₃ and Co_66.6Fe_4.28B_11.51Si_14.48Ni_1.44Mo_1.69 under the action of external tensile stresses. For the first composition, mechanical stresses exceeding a certain limit (more than 350 MPa) lead to the transformation of the magnetic hysteresis from a bistable type to an inclined one. In this case, a sharp change of the harmonic spectrum is observed. In microwires of the second composition with an initially inclined loop, external stresses cause a monotonous increase in the slope of the hysteresis loop (a decrease in susceptibility). In this case, the amplitudes of higher harmonics change significantly at low stresses, less than 100 MPa. The results were obtained by remagnetization of microwire samples using a system of flat coils, which demonstrates the potential of using these materials as wireless sensors of mechanical stresses with remote reading.

The technology of manufacturing magnetic tunnel junctions based on CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB layers with characteristic lateral dimensions from 200 to 700 nm using a combination of HSQ/PMMA electronic resistors has been developed. To study the processes of magnetization reversal in the obtained samples, measurements of magnetoresistance curves were carried out. It is shown that, depending on the structure of the magnetically sensitive layer and the geometric parameters of the TMR contacts, elements with both vortex and quasi-homogeneous distribution of the magnetization of the free layer are realized. At the same time, in the latter, the width of the magnetization reversal front is from 2 to 6 Oe.

The paper presents experimental results of the appearance of voltage at potential contacts in the absence of an external current through the sample in the plateau region of the quantum Hall effect in a heterostructure with an InGaAs/InAlAs quantum well. The occurrence of voltage is associated with the non-equivalence of edge current in potential contact areas in a magnetic field in a system with a two-dimensional electron gas.

The study addresses the effect of multistage thermal treatment on microstructure formation of Al–Mg–Si series alloy with scandium and zirconium additions in Mg/Si = 0.3 proportion. Basic alloy AlM–Si without Sc and Zr and them modification AlMg1SiZrSc were cast. AlMgSiScZr alloy multi-stage thermal treatment included the following 4 annealing stages –550 °C 8 h + 440 °C 8 h + 500 °C 0.5 h + 180 °C 5 h. For AlMg1Si alloy it was performed following 550 °C 8 h + 180 °C 5 h practice. AlMgSiScZr microstructure was examined using scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) microscopy both in as-cast state and after each stage of thermal treatment, for AlMg1Si – both in as-cast state and after final thermal treatment. Coarse intermetallic particles were examined using SEM, while fine particles were examined using TEM. Besides, microhardness values were measured after various thermal treatment stages. It was found out, that coarse intermetallic compounds of Fe₂Mg₇Si₁₀Al₁₈ type are formed in both alloys during as-cast structure cooling down with such compounds partial dissolution during further thermal treatment. At the same time particles, that can be attributed either to (AlSi)₃ScZr or to AlSc₂Si₂τ-phase, occur in inter-grain boundary of alloys with scandium-zirconium additions. No traces of scandium solid solution discontinuous decomposition have been identified during ingot cooling down. Thermal treatment during 8 h at 550 °C 8 and 8 h at 440 °C results in formation of the phase, which can represent both AlSc₂Si₂ and Al₅SiZr₂. At the same time nanoparticles (AlSi)₃ScZr do not form during this thermal treatment stage. Heating to 500 °C during 30 min interval allows complete dissolution of magnesium in supersaturated aluminum solid solution. During the final stage β’’ particles (Mg₅Si₆), representing the major type, form in both alloys; in these conditions scandium does not produce significant effect on their formation.

The features of the microstructure of the Ti–51 at.%Ni shape memory alloy have been studied after aging at various temperatures. In combination with studies using optical and electron microscopy and X-ray analysis, mechanical properties were tested for tensile strength at room temperature. It has been established that the aged alloy is distinguished by a high level of mechanical properties (tensile strength up to 1200 MPa with a relative elongation of up to 35 %) due to highly dispersed homogeneous decomposition and the effect of simultaneous hardening and increased plasticity as a result of deformation-induced martensitic transformation.

The interaction of components during high-temperature annealing of compressed magnesium and boron powders in the technologies for obtaining the superconducting compound MgB₂ in works using standard synthesis technology and hot gas-static pressing technology is considered. The effect of the kinetics of crystal growth and diffusion of components released at the interface on the morphology of dissipative structures formed during phase transformation is studied in a computer model of crystallization of a binary alloy. The conditions and mechanism of formation of “dendrite-like” and “layered” structures arising during crystallization of MgB₂ from magnesium melt (Mg –%B) are analyzed. It is shown that the application of pressure during the synthesis of the compound makes it possible to control the morphology of the resulting dissipative structures that determine the degree of development of porosity and liquation heterogeneity of the composition in a massive superconductor.

Rapidly quenched Mn₅₅Al₃₆Ga₉ ribbons were obtained by the spinning method. In the initial quenched state, the ribbons had a two-phase structure of the ε and γ₂-phases. It has been established that, upon heating, the alloy undergoes a series of phase transformations, including the precipitation of the equilibrium β-Mn phase and its subsequent dissolution, the formation of the ferromagnetic τ-phase from both the ε and γ₂-phases. The largest amount of the τ-phase was obtained by annealing at a temperature of 700 °C for 20 minutes. The work describes both the phase composition obtained as a result of annealing at different temperatures and the features of the microstructure studied by electron microscopy.

The band sample of austenitic steel 0.3C–13Cr–10Mn–3Si–1V was cold deformed to a shape of circular arc with a deflection of 3 mm and then irradiated by fast neutrons with a fluence of 6×10¹⁹ cm^–2 in the vertical wet channel of the IVV-2M reactor at a temperature of 80 °C. This material belongs to the class of the stainless manganese austenitic steels with the shape memory effect (SME). The neutron irradiation was initially supposed to lower the SME upon the further heating in comparison with the reference sample. But instead, the SME appeared immediately under irradiation showing a decrease in the deflection of about 21 %. Check experiments confirmed that the lower limit of the SME in this material is 120 °C with its absence at 80 °C. This allows us to assert that the observed effect is the result of the neutron irradiation.