High magnetostriction of positive magnetostrictive materials under tensile load

• Main Authors: CLARK ARTHUR E, RESTORFF JAMES B, WUN-FOGLE MARILYN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.07.2009
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

An elongate structure having a magnetostrictive material composition is subjected to tensile stress in the longitudinal-axial direction, thereby generally orienting the magnetization of the elongate structure in the longitudinal-axial direction. Electrical current is conducted through the elongate structure and/or through at least one adjacent elongate conductor, thereby generally orienting the magnetization of the elongate structure in the transverse direction, generally in parallel with the transverse direction of the magnetic field concomitant the conduction of current through the elongate structure. The elongate structure magnetostrictively contracts due to the (generally 90°) repositioning of the magnetization of the elongate structure. Examples of inventive configurational variants include: (i) an elongate structure itself conducting current; (ii) a hollow elongate structure accommodating placement therethrough of at least one elongate conductor; (iii) an elongate structure flanked by a pair of elongate conductors conducting current in opposite directions; (iv) plural elongate structures bordering a centralized elongate conductor.