2

pieces + Hall-Effect probe, has a RTC of its own. Although the net RTC, the actual
performance of a system using these zero RTC grades is not zero (as might be implied by
permeameter testing data), it is an order of magnitude better than the standard,
uncompensated grades.

Until now, the TWT industry has had choices including uncompensated, fully
compensated and anything in between. The maximum energy product of the zero RTC
grades (fully compensated) is 16 MGOe.


A New Series of Rare Earth Cobalt Magnet Grades

In 1999, EEC introduced a series of patented high temperature magnets including T400,
T450, T500 and T550. (U.S. patent number 6,451,132 B1) [3]. These magnets are based
on further compositional refinement of the Sm-Co five-element system
Sm(Co
x
Fe
y
Cu
v
Zr
w
)
z .

These high temperature magnets are characterized by:

x High intrinsic coercivity H
ci
at elevated temperatures to resist demagnetization
x Low temperature coefficient of H
ci

x Straight demagnetization curves at maximum operating temperatures
x Magnets can be made for any specified T
M
*

up to 550C with highest possible
(BH)
max

*(T
M
is the maximum use temperature at which a straight-line demagnetization curve can
exist.)


Table 1. Typical magnetic properties of EEC high temperature SmCo magnets and
standard Sm
2
TM
17
magnets

Grades B
r

(kG)
H
ci

(kOe)
(BH)
max

(MGOe)
Maximum Operating
Temperature (
o
C)
EEC2:17-24 10.1 >25 24 300
EEC24-T400 10.1 >25 24 400
EEC21-T400 9.5 >25 21 400
EEC20-T500 9.3 >25 20 500
EEC18-T500 8.7 >25 18 500
EEC16-T550 8.5 >20 16 550
EEC15-T550 8.0 >20 15 550





3



















Figure 1. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for
EEC 24-T400 high temperature magnets




















Figure 2. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for
EEC 20-T500 high temperature magnets



4





















Figure 3. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for
EEC 16-T550 high temperature magnets

Table 1 shows the typical magnetic properties of SmCo high temperature magnets.
Standard Sm-Co 2:17 grade (EEC2:17-24) is also listed for comparison. Typical
demagnetization curves of EEC24-T400, EEC20-T500 and EEC16-T550 high
temperature magnets at various temperatures are shown in figures 1, 2, and 3,
respectively. It can be seen from figures 1, 2, and 3, the normal (extrinsic)
demagnetization curves are straight lines up to their respective maximum operating
temperatures, T
M
, which provides design flexibilities for many critical applications.

Long-Term Thermal Stability of High Temperature Magnets

Figure 4 shows the long-term thermal stability of SmCo 2:17 magnets and patented high
temperature SmCo magnets at 300
o
C [4]. All samples were uncoated except one set of
T500 magnets, which was coated with aluminum ion vapor deposition (IVD). These
magnets have been held at 300
o
C in air for more than three years. The total irreversible
magnetic losses for all samples were less than 4%.

Based on several years of experiments and observations, these high temperature magnets
are metallurgically stable at temperatures up to 550C. Following initial thermal
stabilization for two hours, these uncoated high temperature magnets, held at 300C in air
for more than three years, had losses of only about 0.3%. No detectable loss was
measured for the magnets coated with aluminum IVD.

5


Figure 4. Long-term thermal stability at 300C in air for selected Sm-Co magnets with
maximum operating temperatures of 250 - 550C


High Temperature Magnets for TWT Applications

Our measurements have confirmed that the RTC of the axial field in periodic permanent
magnet (PPM) stacks using this new series of high temperature magnet materials is
comparable to that obtained with the previously considered best materials available that
have low to zero (RTC oI B
r
) [5]. Accordingly, this new series of magnet materials
offers additional choices to tube design engineers and could result in significantly higher
field strengths while maintaining the important characteristics of low reversible
temperature coefficient of the axial field. Our measurements are based on plotting the
on-axis field of PPM arrangements of magnets at various temperatures. These are
difficult measurements to make due to limitations related to the Hall Effect-device (the
probe). Feedback from customers that have evaluated these materials on traveling wave
tubes has been favorable in a number of situations.


Explanation for the Improved Performance

Figure 5 is a sketch showing a normal demagnetization curve. The working point is
assumed to be at B
i
/ P
R
H
i
and the demagnetization curve is assumed to be linear. (P
R
is a
magnetic constant and equal to 1 in CGS units and, in the following discussions, P
R
will
not appear for the sake of simplicity.)



6













Figure 5. Sketch showing normal demagnetization curve


The flux density B
i
can be written as:

B
i
= B
r
(B
r
/H
c
)*H
i
---------------------- (1)

Assuming the magnets in the devices are exposed to a constant magnetic field H
i
, which
includes self demagnetization field, and let J= B
r
/H
c
, the change of flux density when the
temperature changes from T
o
to T
1
can then be written as:
'B
i
= 'B
r
'J*H
i
------------------------- (2)

Therefore, an empirical equation was deduced as follows:
'B
i
= D*B
r
* 'T + ' * H
i
-------------- (3)

Where 'B
i
is the change of flux density B
i
over a temperature range from T
o
to T
1
at a
working point of B
i
/H
i
; D is the reversible temperature coefficient (RTC) of the residual
induction B
r
; 'T (= T
1
T
o
) is the temperature change; is defined as the ratio of B
r
/H
c
;
' is the change oI value when temperature changes Irom T
o
to T
1
.

As a function of temperature, the change in flux density is a result of two components
D*B
r
* 'T and ' * H
i
. The first component is related to , the reversible temperature
coefficient (RTC) of B
r
. The second component is related to the quantity ', defined as
the change of B
r
/H
c
ratio from temperature T
o
to T
1
. Because of the working point
associated with the magnets in a PPM device, this parameter 'is as important, if not
more important, than (RTC of B
r
).

The thermal behavior of various SmCo magnets has been studied extensively. Table 2
lists typical values oI , RTC oI B
r
,

and the quantity '. Figure 6 shows the value of '
of SmCo magnets as the temperature changes from 100
o
C to various temperatures up to
250
o
C.



Load Line
B
H
Working
Point
B
i
H
i
0
B
r
H
c
x
Load Line
B
H
Working
Point
B
i
H
i
0
B
r
H
c
x
7

Table 2. Typical values of and ' of SmCo magnets




















Figure 6. The values of ' of SmCo magnets from 100
o
C to various
temperatures up to 250
o
C


As seen from Table 2 and Figure 6, both Dand ' are relatively large for the standard
SmCo 2:17 grade EEC2:17-24, therefore relative large change of flux density, 'B
i
,
would be expected over the same temperature range. In other words, PPM stacks with
standard 2:17-24 magnets would be expected to have a relatively large reversible
temperature coefficient.

For EEC2:17-TC15 magnets, the RTC of B
r
is almost zero, the contribution of the first
component, D*B
r
* 'T, in equation (3) to the change of flux density 'B
i
is insignificant.
The change of flux density, 'B
i
,

over a specified temperature range is largely due to the
change of '

Magnet Grade Reversible temperature
coefficient of B
r



(%/C)
'
(From -50 to 200
o
C)
EEC 2:17-TC15 -0.001 0.049
EEC 2:17-24 -0.035 0.039
EEC 24-T400C -0.035 0.021
EEC 20-T500C -0.035 0.026
EEC 16-T550C -0.035 0.023
-100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250
-0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
'
J
Temperature (
o
C)
EEC 2:17-24
EEC TC15
EEC T400A
EEC T450A
EEC T400
EEC T450
EEC T500
EEC T550
8
Although the RTC of B
r
is the same as that of the standard SmCo grades, EEC high
temperature magnets (T400, T450, T500 and T550) have significantly lower values of '
resulting in improved performance for magnets used in PPM configurations.


Conclusion

The new series of high temperature magnets are metallurgically stable at temperatures up
to 550C. More than three years exposure to 300
o
C in air resulted in only 0.3%
irreversible loss after the initial two-hour thermal stabilization. The superior magnetic
properties and thermal stability of these high temperature magnets attracted many new
applications. Feedback from customers that have evaluated these materials on traveling
wave tubes has been favorable in a number of situations. A new empirical equation was
used to explain the improved performance of devices with high temperature magnets.
And, most importantly, these magnets are generally available at no additional cost. The
prices are comparable to standard magnet grades.


References

[1] Strnat, K., and Ostertag, W., Technical Memorandum, Wright-Petterson AFB, OH
(1964)
[2] Ray, A.E., and Strnat, K.J., IEEE Trans. Magn. Vol.8, 516 (1972)
[3] Chen, C.H., Walmer, M.S., Walmer M.H., IVEC 2000 Conference Proceedings,
Paper #20.5, Monterey, CA (2000)
[4] Chen, C., Walmer, M.H. and Liu, S., MMM/INTERMAG 2004, Anaheim, CA (2004)
[5] Chen, C.H., Walmer M.H., Tri-Service VED Workshop Proceedings, Poster Paper,
Norfolk, VA (2003)