Current density effect on magnetic properties of nanocrystalline electroplated Ni80Fe20/Cu composite wires

In developing high-sensitivity micro sensors for very weak magnetic field, extremely high permeability magnetic material is essential for the sensing element. In this study, the effect of plating current density in nanocrystalline electrodeposition of permalloy on the crystal grain size and consequently on the soft magnetic properties of the deposited layer of Ni80Fe20/Cu composite wire is investigated. It is found that the coercivity of the deposited Ni80Fe20 increases and the MI effect ratio of the Ni80Fe20/Cu wire decreases with increasing current density in the lower range of current density (0.6–2 A/dm2) while the opposite trend is observed as the current density range increases in a higher range (2–8 A/dm2). It seems that increasing plating current density has the effect of decreasing the crystal grain size of the plated material, resulting in lower coercivity of the plated material. This effect, due to decreased grain size, is dominating in the higher range of plating current density. However, it also has the effect of increasing residual stresses in the plated material, which is dominating in the lower range of plating current density, resulting in higher coercivity of the plated materials.