Exploring the temperature dependence of magnetic properties and magnetoimpedance effect in Co-rich microwires

We studied the temperature dependence of the magnetic properties and giant magnetoimpedance, GMI, effect in as-prepared and annealed Co69.2Fe3.6Ni1B12.5Si11Mo1.5C1.2 glass-coated microwires with nearly-zero magnetostriction. Substantial change in the GMI ratio, ΔZ/Z, value and magnetic field, H, dependence and in the hysteresis loops upon heating, were observed. The modification in the hysteresis loops shape upon heating correlates with a change in the ΔZ/Z (H) dependencies. In as-prepared and most of the heat treated samples the hysteresis loop transformation from inclined to squared upon heating correlates with the change in ΔZ/Z(H) dependencies from double-peak to single-peak. However, the stress-annealed at 118 MPa samples present better thermal stability of the ΔZ/Z(H) dependencies and hysteresis loops. In all the studied samples an increase in the GMI ratio at 300 °C is observed. The origin of the observed temperature dependences is discussed in terms of the Hopkinson effect, temperature dependence and relaxation of internal stresses, induced magnetic anisotropy, and temperature dependence of the magnetostriction coefficient.