Magnetic properties of Nd[sub 60-x]Y[sub x]Fe[sub 30]Al[sub 10] (x=0,10,30) melt-spun ribbons containing two amorphous magnetic phases.

The magnetic properties of Nd[sub 60-x]Y[sub x]Fe[sub 30]Al[sub 10] (x = 0, 10, 30) melt-spun ribbons were studied. The ribbons contain two amorphous magnetic phases characterized by their Curie temperature T[sub C1] and T[sub C2]. The Y atoms may be unevenly distributed in the two magnetic phases. The Y atoms prefer to substitute Nd in the low T[sub C1] phase. Thermo-history effects are found in the thermomagnetic curves for field-cooled and zero-field-cooled samples. The bifurcation temperature T[sub b] decreases with Y addition, suggesting a decrease of the anisotropy energy and the coercivity. The room-temperature coercivity and remanence ratio also strongly decrease with Y addition. The apparent coercivity μ[sub 0]H[sub C] for x = 0 first increases with decreasing temperature, reaching a maximum at about 60 K, near the Curie temperature of the T[sub C1] phase, then strongly decreases in the two-magnetic phase region. The coercivity mechanism is assumed as domain-wall pinning effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]