A magnetoimpedance effect is observed in Co 6,8,10, 12) amorphous metal alloy ribbons when an alternating current at frequencies ranging from 1-3000 kHz is passed through samples in an external magnetic field. Spectra of the permittivity and optical conductivity of the surface of ribbons of these alloys are obtained for incident photon energies of 1.0-5.0 eV. The relationships between the magnitude of the magnetoimpedance effect, and the magnetic properties, electronic structure parameters, and optical characteristics of the amorphous alloy samples are determined.Keywords: amorphous metal alloy ribbons, giant magnetoimpedance effect, electronic structure parameters.
Introduction.Since 1997 the density of magnetic memory has increased annually by a factor of two through use of magnetoimpedance readout [1]. The magnetoimpedance effect, which involves a large change in the impedance of a ferromagnetic conductor in the presence of an external magnetic field, is inherent to multilayer films, granular structures, and amorphous ribbons when high frequency currents flow through them. The magnetoimpedance effect has the greatest sensitivity to very weak magnetic fields [2][3][4]. It is attributed to spin dependence scattering of conduction electrons. This effect is characteristic of low-coercitivity amorphous alloys based on cobalt, as well as of multilayer films with alternating ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic layers or of granular ferromagnetic materials in a conducting matrix. Active research on the magnetoimpedance effect has led to the birth of a family of new materials with extensive possible applications, including spin valves, structures with magnetic tunnel transitions, and spin nanotransistors [5].Since IR optical phenomena in metals are associated with intraband optical transitions and are, to a certain extent, analogous to the behavior of dc electrical resistance, it is assumed that when an alternating current is passed through an amorphous metal alloy ribbon in a magnetic field, a correlation of its optical and magnetoimpedance characteristics should also be observed [6]. In this paper we present data from an experimental study of changes in the optical characteristics of Co-based amorphous metal alloy ribbons in external magnetic fields at photon energies of 1.0-5.0 eV and establish their relationship to the magnetoimpedance effect observed in samples of cobalt-based amorphous metal alloy ribbons containing different concentrations of nickel.Experiment. Samples of amorphous metal alloy were obtained by ultra-fast quenching from a melt in the form of 5-mm-wide, 20-μm-thick ribbons from a mixture of Co, Ni, and B in the appropriate proportions. The final composition of the ribbons was checked using Auger analysis. The amount of each element was found to be in agreement with the chemical formula to within 0.5-1.0 at. %. The magnetoimpedance effect was studied in magnetic fields of up to 100 Oe with frequencies of the alternating current passing through the sample ranging over 1-3000 kHz. During the measurements ...