Nanocrystallization of amorphous Fe_(73.5)Cu_1Nb_3Si_(13.5)B_9 by microwave field treatment

Amorphous Fe_(73.5)Cu_1Nb_3Si_(13.5)B_9 alloys have been nanocrystallized by microwave field annealing and the effect of microwave field on the nanocrystallization has been investigated.It is shown that by microwave field annealing at 480℃for 5 min,80% fine nanocrystallineα-Fe(Si)grains about 15 nm formed in the amorphous matrix.With increasing annealing time to appropriate value(30 min), the nanocrystaliization completed and the grain size of theα-Fe(Si)phase stays nearly the same,but the lattice parameter decreases to 0.2461 nm,and the alloy has a very high M_s of 1.79 T.Comparing to annealing by laser,shock wave,current and magnetic field,after the alloy was annealed by microwave field singleα-Fe(Si)phase,smaller grain size and higher crystal phase volume can simulantly obtained.It is also revealed that microwave field benefits the transition of atom B toward vacancy,which increases the nucleation rate ofα-Fe(Si)phase and promotes the nanocrystallization of the alloy.