Influence of microstructure on thermal relaxation in nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials

The interplay between activation volumes and microstructure is investigated in nanocrystalline Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 (Finemet) alloys. Experiments are performed beyond the Curie point of the amorphous matrix, where relaxation effects are relevant. Measurements are analyzed within a theoretical framework where hysteresis and relaxation phenomena are jointly described. In highly crystallized samples magnetization processes are characterized by a unique length scale. In poorly crystallized samples the system behavior is controlled by a distribution of characteristic volumes related to structural disorder.