IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 50, NO.

11, NOVEMBER 2014 2006504

Effect of Annealing on Off-Diagonal GMI Effect of Co-Rich

Amorphous Microwires
Arcady Zhukov1,2, Mihail Ipatov1, Ahmed Talaat1 , Juan M. Blanco3 , and Valentina Zhukova1
1 Department of Physics of Materials, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian 20018, Spain
2 IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48011, Spain
3 Departamento de Fisica Aplicada I, Escuela Universitatia Politecnica Universidad del Pais Vasco,

San Sebastian 20018, Spain

We studied giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect and magnetic properties of Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 amorphous as-prepared
and annealed microwires. We observed that these properties can be tuned by heat treatment. High GMI effect has been observed
in as-prepared Co-rich microwires. After appropriate annealing, we can observe fast DW propagation and GMI effect in the same
sample. Annealing affects both diagonal and off-diagonal GMI components.
Index Terms— Amorphous microwires, annealing, giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect, magnetic anisotropy.

I. I NTRODUCTION cations, low hysteretic and linear magnetic field dependence

S TUDIES of amorphous magnetically soft glass-coated
microwires have attracted considerable interest in the field
of applied magnetism because of their reduced dimensionality
(metallic nucleus diameter ranging between 0.5 and 30 μm)
cheap and simple fabrication method and outstanding soft
magnetic properties [1], [2]. From the point of view of poten-
tial applications, the most attractive are excellent soft magnetic
properties and related giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect
and the magnetic bistability and related fast domain wall
propagation [1], [2]. In general, soft magnetic properties
of amorphous ferromagnetic microwires are affected by the
magnetoelastic energy related to the presence of glass coating.
Therefore, minimization of internal stresses by different kinds
of processing such as annealing or glass coating removal can
considerably improve magnetic softness and GMI effect of
these materials [1]–[3].
Aforementioned GMI effect is considered very promis-
ing for applications in low magnetic field detection
[1]–[4]. Magnetic sensors developed using amorphous wires
with GMI effect allow achieving pT magnetic field sensitivity
with low noise [4], [5]. The origin of the GMI effect is
related to the skin effect of magnetically soft conductor [2],
[4], [6]. High circumferential permeability usually exhibited
by amorphous wires with vanishing magnetostriction constant
is essential for observation of high GMI effect [6]. Like
magnetic permeability, GMI effect presents tensor character.
Consequently, the scalar model of GMI effect has been
significantly extended taking into account the tensor ori-
gin of the magnetic permeability and magneto impedance
[7]. Antisymmetrical magnetic field dependence of the out-
put voltage with linear region has been obtained for the
off-diagonal GMI component of amorphous wires in pulsed
regime [7], [8]. From the point of view of industrial appli-
Manuscript received March 6, 2014; accepted April 11, 2014. Date of
current version November 18, 2014. Corresponding author: A. Zhukov (e-
mail: arkadi.joukov@ehu.es).
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available
online at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TMAG.2014.2318082
0018-9464 © 2014 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.
See http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information.
exhibited by the off-diagonal GMI is quite attractive [1],
[7], [8]. The off-diagonal components ςzφ and ςφz and the
circumferential diagonal component ςφφ arose from cross-
sectional magnetization process (h φ → m z and h z → m φ )
[1], [7], [8].
The shape of magnetic field dependence of the GMI effect
(including off-diagonal components) is intrinsically related
with the magnetic anisotropy and peculiar surface domain
structure of amorphous wires [2], [9]. The GMI hysteresis
observed and analyzed in microwires has been explained
through the helical magnetic anisotropy [10].
Consequently, optimization of the GMI effect in novel mag-
netic materials (low hysteresis, high GMI ratio, high linearity
to the external magnetic field) is extremely important from the
point of view of magnetic sensors applications [1], [2], [7], [8].
For glass-coated magnetic microwires it is commonly
assumed, that the magnetic field dependence of GMI effect
and overall magnetic properties is determined by the magne-
toelastic anisotropy, K me . This magnetoelastic anisotropy, K me
is affected by both internal stresses, σi , and magnetostriction
coefficient, λs [1], [2]. The magnetostriction coefficient, λs ,
depends on the chemical composition of amorphous metallic
alloy taking vanishing values in amorphous Fe–Co-based
alloys with Co/Fe ≈ 70/5 [11], [12].
The internal stresses are originated from the fabrication
process involving rapid solidification of the composite glass-
coated microwires. One of the main sources of the internal
stresses is the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients
between the glass coating and the ferromagnetic nucleus [1],
[13]–[15]. The strength of the internal stresses depends on the
ρ-ratio between the metallic nucleus diameter, d, and total
microwire diameter, D (ρ = d/D) [13], [14], [16] increasing
with decreasing the ρ-ratio, i.e., with increasing of the relative
volume of the glass coating.
In addition, previously reported that in amorphous alloys,
the magnetostriction coefficient exhibits stress dependences
that can be expressed as [17]
λs,σ = λs,0 − Bσ (1)
2006504 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 50, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 2014

where λs,σ is the magnetostriction constant under stress, λs,0 is

the zero-stress magnetostriction constant, and B is a positive
coefficient of order 10−10 MPa. Therefore, one can expect
drastic changes of magnetic properties and consequently GMI
effect for nearly zero magnetostriction microwires composi-
tions after stress relaxation.
Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to study the effect
of annealing of low magnetostrictive Co-rich microwires on
magnetic properties and GMI effect.

II. E XPERIMENTAL D ETAILS

We prepared low magnetostrictive Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8
C1.1 (D ≈ 30.2; d ≈ 25.6 μm) glass-coated microwires and Fig. 1. Hysteresis loops of (a) Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwires
Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwire (D ≈ 28.9, d ≈ 25.1 μm) as-prepared and (b) and (c) annealed for 5 min at different temperatures,
and of (d) as-prepared Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwire.
with high and positive magnetostriction using modified
Taylor–Ulitovsky method as described elsewhere [1], [2].
Hysteresis loops have been measured using fluxmetric
induced considerable changes of the hysteresis loops [Fig. 1(b)
method [1], [2]. We represent the normalized magnetization,
and (c)]. Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwire presents rectangu-
M/Mo versus magnetic field, H , where M is the magnetic
lar hysteresis loop typical for Fe-rich microwires. It is worth
moment at given magnetic field and Mo is the magnetic
mentioning that annealed (annealing temperature, Tann =
moment of the sample at the maximum magnetic field ampli-
300 °C for 5 min) Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 amorphous
tude, Ho.
microwire presents rectangular hysteresis loop similarly to
We measured dependences of the diagonal Z zz and
as-prepared amorphous Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwire.
off-diagonal Z φz impedance components on external axial
The difference between these hysteresis loops is the coercivity
magnetic field H in Co-rich microwires, as described else-
(about 15% higher for Fe-rich microwire) and the magnetic
where [10]. As previously described, we used specially
permeability of the flat branches of hysteresis loop (higher for
designed microstrip cell. There one wire end was connected
Co-rich microwire).
to the inner conductor of a coaxial line through a matched
As-prepared Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwire present
microstrip line while the other was connected to the ground
rather high GMI effect [GMI ratio, Z /Z , up to 300%,
plane. The components Z zz and Z φz were measured simultane-
Fig. 2(a)]. We observed decreasing of Z /Z after annealing
ously using vector network analyzer. The diagonal impedance
at Tann = 300 °C for 5 min Z /Z from 300% to 150%
of the sample Z w = Z zz l, where l is the wire length, was
[Fig. 2(b)]. For comparison we provide GMI ratio for amor-
obtained from reflection coefficient S11 and the off-diagonal
phous Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwires measured at the
impedance Z φz was measured as transmission coefficient S21
same conditions. As can be appreciated, Co-rich microwires
as a voltage induced in a 2 mm long pick-up coil wounded
showing rectangular hysteresis loops present much higher GMI
over the wire. The static bias field H B was created by the
ratio than Fe-rich microwires also showing rectangular hys-
dc current I B applied to sample through the bias-tee element.
teresis loop. For Fe-rich microwires, we observed Z /Z ≈ 8%.
The other experimental details are given in [10]. The frequency
Off-diagonal GMI effect represented by S21 without bias
range for the off-diagonal component Z φz was 10–300 MHz,
current is rather low for as-prepared and annealed samples
while diagonal impedance component has been measured
(Fig. 3). As can be appreciated from Fig. 3 and similar to
till 7 GHz.
other Co-rich microwires bias field, H B , produced by bias
The magneto impedance ratio, Z /Z , has been defined as
current, I B , strongly affects the off-diagonal impedance and
Z /Z = [Z (H ) − Z (Hmax )] · 100/Z (Hmax). (2) GMI hysteresis. But even under I B = 50 mA, considerable
hysteresis is observed reflecting considerable helical magnetic
An axial dc-field with maximum value, Hmax , up to 20 kA/m
anisotropy of the sample [10]. Annealing considerably affects
was supplied by a magnetization coils. All the measurements
magnetic field dependence and value of the S21 parameter
have been performed in as-prepared samples and after heat
[Fig. 3(b)–(d)].
treatments. Samples annealing is performed in conventional
For interpretation of observed unusual increasing of coer-
furnace as described elsewhere [18].
civity after annealing (Fig. 1), we must consider not only
the stress relaxation, but also change of the character of the
III. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION remagnetization process induced by heat treatment.
As-prepared Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 amorphous micro- Observed dependences allow deducing that annealing
wires present soft magnetic behavior with quite low induces axial magnetic anisotropy as confirmed by the
coercivity [about 4 A/m, see Fig. 1(a)] similarly to the other perfectly rectangular hysteresis loops exhibited by annealed
Co-rich amorphous microwires with nearly zero negative microwire that is typical for microwires with positive mag-
magnetostriction constant with similar compositions [2]. netostriction constant presenting axial easy magnetization
Annealing even for only 5 min at different temperatures axis.
ZHUKOV et al.: EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON OFF-DIAGONAL GMI EFFECT OF Co-RICH AMORPHOUS MICROWIRES 2006504

Fig. 2. GMI ratio measured in (a) Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwires
as-prepared and (b) annealed at 300 °C for 5 min, and in (c) as-prepared
Fe73.8 Cu1 Nb3.1 B9.1 Si13 microwire measured at different frequencies.

To explain this unusual dependence of magnetic proper-

ties on annealed temperature, we must consider both stress
relaxation and considerable effect of internal stresses on
magnetostriction constant as described above. We can assume
that stress relaxation induced by annealing can change the
magnetostriction sign.
Hysteresis loop presents considerable changes after even
short (5 min duration) annealing at different temperatures
(Fig. 1): at annealing temperature, Tann = 300 °C we observed
drastic increasing of coercivity from 4 to 40 A/m. After
annealing at 300 °C for 5 min hysteresis loop becomes
perfectly rectangular typical for glass-coated microwires with
positive magnetostriction constant.
Fig. 3. Off-diagonal GMI component of as-prepared (a) and of annealed
As can be appreciated from Fig. 1, the hysteresis loops at different conditions (b)–(d) amorphous Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1
become more and more rectangular increasing the annealing microwire.
temperature, Tann (Fig. 1).
The origin of the magnetic bistability of amorphous glass- composite wire, consisting of a metallic nucleus surrounded
coated microwires is usually related to the fast magnetization by the glass coating [1], [3].
switching of a large single axially magnetized domain [1], Consequently, one must expect observation of domain wall
[19], [20]. The onset of such a peculiar domain structure, propagation in annealed Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwires
consisting of a large axially magnetized single domain and exhibiting rectangular hysteresis loops.
by the outer radially magnetized shell, is determined by the We measured the DW dynamics in the Co69.2 Fe4.1
stresses arising during simultaneous rapid solidification of the B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwire annealed at 200 °C for 60 min
2006504
Fig. 4. Dependence of DW velocity on magnetic field measured
in Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwires annealed at Tann = 200 °C
for 60 min.
presenting rectangular hysteresis loop (Fig. 4). As can be
appreciated, v(H ) dependences present typical nearly linear
growth of DW velocity with magnetic field, H . Observed DW
velocity are high enough, although usually low magnetostric-
tive microwires with magnetic bistability present higher DW
velocities [19].
We must underline that fast DW propagation (Fig. 4) is
observed in the same sample exhibiting high diagonal and
off-diagonal GMI effect (Figs. 2 and 3).
We can assume that stress relaxation after annealing induces
change the magnetostriction sign and therefore induce change
of character of hysteresis loops. We can also assume that outer
domain shall of the annealed Co-rich microwire exhibiting
both fast DW propagation and GMI effect has high circum-
ferential magnetic permeability. This assumption is deduced
by much higher GMI ratio of Co-rich microwires exhibiting
rectangular hysteresis loop after annealing as-compared with
Fe-rich amorphous microwires exhibiting similar character of
bulk hysteresis loop. These unusual features can be explained
considering non-uniform internal stresses distributions induced
by glass coating. In according to previously published calcula-
tions [13] near the interface between the metallic nucleus and
glass-coating the internal stresses change the sign. In addition,
using annealing of nearly zero magnetostrictive microwires,
we were able to observe both GMI effect and fast DW
propagation in the same sample.
IV. C ONCLUSION
We found that annealing of amorphous Co69.2 Fe4.1
B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwire considerably affects hysteresis loop,
GMI effect, and DW dynamics of studied samples and allows
observation of GMI effect and fast DW propagation in the
same sample. We observed high diagonal and off-diagonal
GMI effect in annealed Co69.2 Fe4.1 B11.8 Si13.8 C1.1 microwires.
Observed dependences discussed considering stress relaxation
and change of the magnetostriction after samples annealing.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported in part by the Spanish MICINN
under Project MAT2010-18914, in part by the Basque
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 50, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 2014
Government through Saiotek 13 PROMAGMI under Grant
S-PE13UN014, and in part by DURADMAG under Project
S-PE13UN007.
R EFERENCES
[1] A. Zhukov and V. Zhukova, Magnetic Sensors and Applications Based
on Thin Magnetically Soft Wires With Tuneable Magnetic Proper-
ties. Barcelona, Spain: Int. Freq. Sensor Assoc. Publishing, 2014,
p. 164.
[2] A. Zhukov, M. Ipatov, M. Churyukanova, S. Kaloshkin, and V. Zhukova,
“Giant magnetoimpedance in thin amorphous wires: From manipulation
of magnetic field dependence to industrial applications,” J. Alloys
Compounds, vol. 586, no. 1, pp. S279–S286, Feb. 2014.
[3] M. Vazquez, H. Chiriac, A. Zhukov, L. Panina, and T. Uchiyama,
“On the state-of-the-art in magnetic microwires and expected trends for
scientific and technological studies,” Phys. Status Solidi A, vol. 208,
no. 3, pp. 493–501, Mar. 2011.
[4] T. Uchiyama, K. Mohri, and S. Nakayama, “Measurement of sponta-
neous oscillatory magnetic field of guinea-pig smooth muscle prepa-
ration using pico-tesla resolution amorphous wire magneto-impedance
sensor,” IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 47, no. 10, pp. 3070–3073,
Oct. 2011.
[5] L. V. Panina, K. Mohri, T. Uchyama, and M. Noda, “Giant magneto-
impedance in co-rich amorphous wires and films,” IEEE Trans. Magn.,
vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 1249–1260, Mar. 1995.
[6] F. Qin and H.-X. Peng, “Ferromagnetic microwires enabled multi-
functional composite materials,” Progr. Mater. Sci., vol. 58, no. 2,
pp. 183–259, 2013.
[7] V. A. Zhukova et al., “Effect of annealing under torsion stress on the
field dependence of the impedance tensor in amorphous wires,” J. Magn.
Magn. Mater., vol. 249, nos. 1–2, pp. 318–323, Aug. 2002.
[8] A. Zhukov, M. Ipatov, V. Zhukova, C. García, J. Gonzalez, and
J. M. Blanco, “Development of ultra-thin glass-coated amorphous
microwires for HF magnetic sensor applications,” Phys. Status Solidi
A, vol. 205, no. 6, pp. 1367–1372, Jun. 2008.
[9] V. Zhukova, A. Chizhik, A. Zhukov, A. Torcunov, V. Larin, and
J. Gonzalez, “Optimization of giant magnetoimpedance in co-rich amor-
phous microwires,” IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 3090–3092,
Sep. 2002.
[10] M. Ipatov, V. Zhukova, A. Zhukov, J. Gonzalez, and A. Zvezdin, “Low-
field hysteresis in the magnetoimpedance of amorphous microwires,”
Phys. Rev. B, vol. 81, no. 13, p. 134421, 2010.
[11] Y. Konno and K. Mohri, “Magnetostriction measurements for amorphous
wires,” IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 3623–3625, Sep. 1989.
[12] A. Zhukov, V. Zhukova, J. M. Blanco, A. F. Cobeño, M. Vazquez, and
J. Gonzalez, “Magnetostriction in glass-coated magnetic microwires,”
J. Magn. Magn. Mater., vols. 258–259, pp. 151–157, Mar. 2003.
[13] H. Chiriac, T.-A. Ovari, and A. Zhukov, “Magnetoelastic anisotropy
of amorphous microwires,” J. Magn. Magn. Mater., vols. 254–255,
pp. 469–471, Jan. 2003.
[14] J. Velázquez, M. Vazquez, and A. Zhukov, “Magnetoelastic anisotropy
distribution in glass-coated microwires,” J. Mater. Res., vol. 11, no. 10,
pp. 2499–2505, 1996.
[15] A. S. Antonov, V. T. Borisov, O. V. Borisov, A. F. Prokoshin, and
N. A. Usov, “Residual quenching stresses in glass-coated amorphous
ferromagnetic microwires,” J. Phys. D, Appl. Phys., vol. 33, no. 10,
pp. 1161–1168, May 2000.
[16] A. F. Cobeño et al., “Physical properties of nearly zero magnetostriction
co-rich glass-coated amorphous microwires,” J. Mater. Res., vol. 14,
no. 9, pp. 3775–3783, 1999.
[17] J. M. Barandiaran, A. Hernando, V. Madurga, O. V. Nielsen, M. Vazquez,
and M. Vazquez-Lopez, “Temperature, stress, and structural-relaxation
dependence of the magnetostriction in (Co0.94 Fe0.6 )75 /BSi15 B10
glasses,” Phys. Rev. B, vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 5066–5071, 1987.
[18] M. J. Garcia-Prieto et al., “Glass-coated co-rich amorphous microwires
with enhanced permeability,” Sens. Actuators A, Phys., vol. 81, nos. 1–3,
pp. 227–231, Apr. 2000.
[19] A. Zhukov, J. M. Blanco, M. Ipatov, A. Chizhik, and V. Zhukova,
“Manipulation of domain wall dynamics in amorphous microwires
through the magnetoelastic anisotropy,” Nanosc. Res. Lett., vol. 7, no. 1,
p. 223, Apr. 2012.
[20] A. P. Zhukov, “The remagnetization process of bistable amorphous
alloys,” Mater. Des., vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 299–305, 1993.