Soft Magnetic Cores

Several companies and research organisations are working on developing metal/ceramic nanocomposites for the next generation of high frequency magnetic applications. Soft magnetic cores are inductive components used in machines to power electronic devices such as cell phones, telecommunications, radars, computers, satellites and automobiles. High frequency inductive components require magnetic cores with high resistivity, high permeability, and low hysteresis and dielectric loss. Due to low resistivity, metallic alloys cannot be used beyond 1 MHz. Ferrites show significant power loss at elevated frequencies, which is one of the key factors limiting the miniaturisation of electronic devices and equipment. Nanocompositing has opened up an opportunity to develop novel high frequency soft magnetic materials. Annealing under a magnetic field has been shown to improve the performance characteristics of such nanocomposites and MSL is supporting development work in this field.