Jl. of Instrum. Soc. of India Vol. 39 No.

1 March 2009

A new experimental setup for measuring magnetostriction

E.M. Mohammed1*, Suresh Babu M1, Neethal Thomas1 and P.J. Binu2
1
Department of Physics, Maharajas college, Ernakulam, Kerala, India - 682011
2
Department of Physics, St. Pius X College, Rajapuram, Kerala, India - 671532
* Corresponding author, E-mail:- emmohammed_2005@yahoo.com

Abstract : One of the interesting phenomena associated with ferro and ferri magnetic materials is their
magnetostriction. That is, these materials undergo a change in dimension when their state of magnetization
is changed by an applied magnetic field. This paper describes one of the experimental setups for the accurate
measurement of magnetostriction. We measured the magnetostriction of polycrystalline NiFe 2O4 samples
with this setup and the results agree well with the standard values. This setup may be modified to be used
as an optical modulator. Research using this setup can study the magnetostriction of different materials
and to develop new devices for optical communication.

1. INTRODUCTION 2.2 Working

The history of magnetism dates back to earlier than The sample under study is placed in the magnetic
600 BC., but it is only in the 20th century that scientists field as shown in figure 1. A laser beam from a Helium
have begun to understand it, and develop technologies neon laser source is allowed to pass through an optical
based on it. fiber attached to the sample. The light emerging from
this optical fiber is made to fall on the detector after
One of the phenomena exhibited by ferro and ferri
passing through another optical fiber. Before applying the
magnetic materials is magnetostriction [1, 2].
magnetic field the two fibers should be aligned in such
Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material undergoes a
a way as to get the maximum intensity of light.
change in dimension when its state of magnetization is
According to the theory of magnetostriction, the
changed by an applied magnetic field. The
application of a magnetic field will change the dimension
magnetostriction arises due to the magnetization change
of the sample.
due to the rotation of the magnetization vector, or in other
words, magnetostriction is mainly due to spin orbit
coupling [3]. It is relatively weak because the applied
field of a few hundred oersteds is required to rotate the
spins away from the easy direction.
Linear magnetostriction  is defined as  = l/l,
where l is the original length of the specimen. l is the
change in length. The effect is strongly dependent on
the field strength. The value of  ranges from 10-6 to
10-4 for many substances. Some alloys of ferromagnetic
metals and ferrites have high values of .
Here we introduce a new experimental setup for the
accurate measurement of magnetostriction. A setup for
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the sensor setup
the studies of magnetic and optical properties of materials
is fabricated using a magneto-optic sensor [4]. Using this
The change in the dimension of the sample causes
setup the magnetostriction of different ferrite materials
a change in the position of the optical fiber to which it
as well as the inter dependence of magnetostrictive
is attached. As the position of the optical fiber changes,
constants on different physical conditions can be
the intensity of the light reaching the detector changes.
investigated.
The display unit shows the intensity of the light reaching
2. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP the detector. So, in each step, as we change the applied
magnetic field the dimension of the sample changes.
2.1 Components of the setup Correspondingly, the intensity value shown by the
For the accurate measurement of magnetostriction detector also changes. Thus, we can say that the strain
the setup needs the following components: electro- produced is proportional to the change in the intensity
magnet, optical fibers, detector, optical breadboard, laser of the light. By calibrating the detector output we can
unit and power suppliers. measure the strain produced in microns.
23
 E.M. Mohammed, Suresh Babu M, Neethal Thomas and P.J. Binu
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The raw materials used for the preparation of nickel
ferrite are ferrous oxalate dehydrate (FOD) and nickel
carbonate. The reaction involved in this process is
6(FeC2O4 2H2O) + NiCO3. 2Ni(OH)2 4H2O  3Ni
Fe2O4 + 13CO2 + 9H2O + 9H2.
The magnetostriction of nickel ferrite has been
studied using the magneto-optic sensor setup as
described earlier. Here, the strains produced in the nickel
ferrite sample, corresponding to different field intensities
are determined, and a graph is plotted with field in tesla
and strain in microns (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2. Magnetostriction of NiFe2O4
Here, we can see that as the applied field increases,
the strain produced in the sample also increases and
finally the magnetostriction reaches a saturation value.
No change in strain is produced on further increase of
the field. The results tally well with the standard
values [3].
24
4. CONCLUSION
The NiFe 2 O 4 sample shows good magnetic
properties. Here, the accent is on the study of its
magnetostriction properties. An experimental setup for
the accurate measurement of magnetostriction was used
to study the magnetostriction of the nickel ferrite
samples. The results are in good agreement with the
standard values. The setup may be modified to be used
as an optical modulator. Hence, research using this
setup can continue to study the magnetostriction of
different materials and to develop new devices for optical
communication.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Dr. E M Mohammed acknowledges the Kerala State
Council for Science, Technology and Environment for
financial assistance (File No. 013/SRSPS/03/KSCSTE)
and Suresh Babu M acknowledges the University Grants
Commission for the financial assistance received under
the fellowship.
REFERENCES
1. Smit J and Wijn H P G , ‘Ferrites’, The Netherlands,
Philips Technical Library (1959).
2. Mohammed E M, et al. ‘Tailoring Magnetic and
Dielectric Properties of Rubber Ferrite Composites
Containing Mixed Ferrites’, Bull. Mater. Sci., 6, 24,
623-631 (2001).
3. Cullity B D, ‘Introduction to Magnetic Materials’,
Philippines, Addison Wesley (1972).
4. E M Mohammed and M R Anantharaman, ‘Fabrication
of Conductivity Cell and Automation for the
Measurements of Permittivity and ac Conductivity’,
J. Instrum. Soc. India, 32, 3, 165–171 (2002).