Patent ID: 6273966
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: H01F,H01L

Abstract:
A rare earth-transition metal magnetostrictive material having the formula (R.sub.x1 R.sub.x2 . . . R.sub.x11).sub.1 (M.sub.y1 M.sub.y2 . . . M.sub.y6).sub.z whereineach R is selected from the group of elements consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium and yttrium, where 0.ltoreq.x1.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.x2.ltoreq.1 . . . 0.ltoreq.x11.ltoreq.1 and where x1+x2+ . . . +x11=1, andeach M is selected from the group of elements consisting of iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, aluminum and silicon, where 0.ltoreq.y1.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y2.ltoreq.1 . . . 0.ltoreq.y6.ltoreq.1, where y1+y2+. . . +y6=1 and where 1.8.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.2.1,the material having a magnetostrictive strain that produces an aligned crystalline or polycrystalline structure to exploit the anisotropy of magnetostriction of the material to yield an optimized macroscopic change in length in response to an applied magnetic field, the material having an atomic percent of oxygen ranging from 6,011 to 34,000 parts per million, an atomic percent of nitrogen ranging from 575 to 4,400 parts per million and an atomic percent of carbon ranging from 939 to 21,000 parts per million.