Influence of interfaces on magnetostrictive granular films

Current device technology requires high magnetostriction in low-coercivity, low-anisotropy samples. It has long been suspected that surface interfaces provide a method for tuning the magnetostriction. In this paper we explore the effects of a surface configuration in granular iron-cobalt silver systems. Significant reduction is seen in the granular material, which can not be explained simply by theory or in terms of the surface to volume ratio. A detailed discussion is made of the possible effects.