Improved Magnetostrictive Transducer Drive Elements Achieved by Reduction ofCrystalline Defects and Improved Crystalline Orientation

摘要

The discovery of the 'giant' magnetostrictive rare earth-iron alloys in the1970's was a direct result of the efforts initiated at DOD's Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Silver Spring, MD in conjunction with DOE's Ames Laboratory (AL), Ames, IA. This research into these new materials was specifically targeted for the development of low frequency, high power transducers for underwater sonar systems. The most technologically advanced of these materials in TERFENOL-D, Tb(3)Dy(7)Fe(1.9-1.95) an intermetallic compound consisting of iron (Fe) and the rare earth metals terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy). Because of the advantages over existing transducer materials (see Table 1), the use of TERFENOL-D as a transducer drive element is expanding into a broad range of commercial applications and advanced defense systems. One of the disadvantages is the cost of these drivers, primarily the terbium and dysprosium raw materials.