Influence of rapid stress annealing on magnetic and structural properties of nanocrystalline Fe74.5Cu1Nb3Si15.5B6 alloy

Influence of rapid stress annealing on magnetic and structural properties of nanocrystalline Fe74.5Cu1Nb3Si15.5B6 alloys is reported. Increase of stress during annealing reduces the initial permeability (from 2600 to 280) whereas the anisotropy field increases almost linearly (from 10 to 3470 A/m) showing the induction of anisotropy in the specimens. From WAXS experiments, volume fraction of the crystallites varies between 53 and 60% with quite similar average grain diameter (∼9 nm), increase of applied stress during annealing leads to the elongation of the unit cell. From Mössbauer spectra, increase of stress during annealing shows appreciable changes in spin texture.