Nanostructure and magnetic properties of Ni-substituted finemet ribbons

Magnetic anisotropy has been induced during the nanocrystallization process of Ni-rich amorphous ferromagnetic (Finemet) ribbons by means of the application of a constant stress during the annealing process. Magnetization measurements have evidenced the anisotropy of the treated samples. The main goal of this work was the analysis of the treated ribbons using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM measurements revealed in all the cases a strong nanocrystallisation of the surface without evidences of amorphous matrix, which contrast with XRD and TEM measurements that have shown a high content of amorphous phase in the bulk of the ribbons. Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements show much higher coercive field values than in the bulk, indicating a complex magnetic behavior for the surface of the ribbons.