Quantitative transmission electron microscopy analysis of the nanocrystallization kinetics of soft magnetic alloys

Transmission electron microscopy was used for the first time to obtain quantitative values of the diffusional crystallization kinetics of initially amorphous Fe74.5Si13.5B9Nb3, Fe76.5Si13.5B9Cu1 and Fe73.5Si13.5B9Nb3Cu1 and Fe77.5Si13.5Nb3Cu1 (Finemet) alloys. The role of Cu and Nb alloying additions was elucidated. Contrary to some models of the crystallization process, it is demonstrated that both Nb and Cu alloying additions can influence the nucleation and growth processes. Combined additions of both Cu and Nb induce drastic reduction in crystal size to about 10 nm and 1000 times higher crystal number density. The high nucleation rate observed in the Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloy was attributed to the formation of both Cu and Nb rich regions which provide a high number of heterogeneous nucleation sites, consistent with the Hampel and Pradell models, the low growth rate was consistent with the Hunziker model.