IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES, VOL. 52, NO.
5, MAY 2005
Thermal Stability and Performance Data for
SmCo 2:17 High-Temperature Magnets
on PPM Focusing Structures
J. F. Liu, Senior Member, IEEE, and M. H. Walmer, Member, IEEE
Abstract—This paper covers new results on the subjects of
thermal stability and performance data for high-temperature
SmCo magnets in periodic permanent magnet configurations.
Based on several years of experiments and observations, these
high-temperature magnets are metallurgically stable at tempera-
tures up to 550 C. Following initial thermal stabilization for 2 h,
these uncoated magnets, held at 300 C in air for more than three
years, had losses of only 0.3%. No detectable loss was measured
for the magnets coated with Al ion vapor deposition.
Index Terms—High-temperature magnets, magnetic properties,
permanent magnets, thermal stabilities, traveling wave tubes.
I. INTRODUCTION
S AMARIUM cobalt-based rare earth permanent magnets
were discovered in the late 1960s [1]. There are two
types—RECo and RE TM —where RE represents rare
earth metals, such as Sm, Gd, Er, etc. and TM represents the
transition metal group which includes Co, Cu, Fe, and Zr. Both
types of magnets are characterized by high intrinsic coercivity,
, as a result of their high magnetocrystalline anisotropy.
The second type, RE TM magnets, were developed in the
mid 1970s [2] and have higher saturation magnetization as
compared to RECo magnets. Both RECo and RE TM can
be used at elevated temperatures up to 300 C and 330 C,
respectively.
The emergence of samarium cobalt magnets in the 1970s
has made possible a tremendous variety of high-performance
devices, both new and enhanced. For the standard grades of
SmCo and Sm TM , the reversible temperature coefficients
of , , are 0.04 and 0.035% C, respectively. For appli-
cations in inertial devices, constant field strength as a function
of temperature is required. In response to that need, Electron
Energy Corporation (EEC) developed a series of magnet grades
that are temperature compensated by substituting gadolinium
for a portion of the samarium in the alloy. This series of mag-
nets, which includes 1:5TC-9, 2:17TC-15, and 2:17TC-16, are
widely accepted by the inertial device industry for applications
in accelerometers and gyroscopes. The traveling wave tube
(TWT) industry has also embraced the benefits of these “near
zero” temperature coefficient grades.
Manuscript received June 29, 2004; revised December 23, 2004. The review
of this paper was arranged by Editor W. L. Menninger.
The authors are with the Electron Energy Corporation, Landisville, PA 17538
USA (e-mail: mhw@electronenergy.com).
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TED.2005.845868
0018-9383/$20.00 © 2005 IEEE
899
Specifically, for the TWT industry, it is important to note
that the reversible temperature coefficient (RTC) is stated with
respect to residual induction ( ). The measurements are
made in a closed-circuit hysteresigraph (also known as a per-
meameter). The actual working point of a typical TWT periodic
permanent magnet (PPM) stack is very different than that found
in permeameter testing. As a result, the RTC of a typical PPM
system using zero RTC material (like 2:17TC-15) is not truly
zero. The system, magnets+pole pieces+Hall–Effect probe, has
an RTC of its own. Although the net RTC, the actual perfor-
mance 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 un-
compensated, fully compensated and anything in between. The
maximum energy product of the zero RTC grades (fully com-
pensated) is 16 MGOe.
II. NEW SERIES OF RARE EARTH COBALT MAGNET GRADES
In 1999, the EEC introduced a series of patented high-tem-
perature magnets including T400, T450, T500, and T550. (U.S.
Patent 6 451 132 B1) [3]. These magnets are based on further
compositional refinement of the SmCo five-element system
Sm Co Fe Cu Zr .
These high-temperature magnets are characterized by
• High intrinsic coercivity at elevated temperatures
to resist demagnetization;
• Low-temperature coefficient of ;
• Straight demagnetization curves at maximum oper-
ating temperatures;
• Magnets can be made for any specified 1 up to
550 C with highest possible (BH) .
Table I shows the typical magnetic properties of SmCo high-
temperature magnets. Standard SmCo 2:17 grade (EEC2:17-24)
is also listed for comparison. Typical demagnetization curves
of EEC24-T400, EEC20-T500, and EEC16-T550 high-temper-
ature magnets at various temperatures are shown in Figs. 1–3,
respectively. It can be seen from Figs. 1–3, the normal (extrinsic)
demagnetization curves are straight lines up to their respective
maximum operating temperatures which provides design
flexibilities for many critical applications.
1T is the maximum use temperature at which a straight-line demagnetiza-
tion curve can exist.
900
TABLE I
TYPICAL MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF EEC HIGH-TEMPERATURE SmCo
MAGNETS AND STANDARD Sm TM MAGNETS
Fig. 1. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for EEC
24-T400 high-temperature magnets.
Fig. 2. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for EEC
20-T500 high-temperature magnets.
III. LONG-TERM THERMAL STABILITY OF
HIGH-TEMPERATURE MAGNETS
Fig. 4 shows the long-term thermal stability of SmCo 2:17
magnets and patented high-temperature SmCo magnets at
300 C [4]. All samples were uncoated except one set of T500
magnets, which was coated with aluminum ion vapor deposi-
tion (IVD). These magnets have been held at 300 C in air for
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES, VOL. 52, NO. 5, MAY 2005
Fig. 3. Typical demagnetization curves at various temperatures for EEC
16-T550 high-temperature magnets.
Fig. 4. Long-term thermal stability at 300 C in air for selected SmCo magnets
with maximum operating temperatures of 250 C–550 C.
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 temper-
atures up to 550 C. Following initial thermal stabilization for
two hours, these uncoated high-temperature magnets, held at
300 C 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.
Coating is not necessary for SmCo magnets at 300 C al-
though aluminum coating could offer further surface protec-
tion from gradual oxidation. Intermetallic compounds, such as
SmCo magnets, are intrinsically very brittle. Magnets are han-
dled extensively in many applications. Aluminum coating on the
surface could also prevent chipping, which would be an added
benefit. The durability of aluminum IVD coating has proved to
be good enough for many applications in the past although we
do not have statistical data at this point.
LIU AND WALMER: THERMAL STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE DATA 901

TABLE II
TYPICAL VALUES OF  AND 1 OF SmCo MAGNETS

Fig. 5. Sketch showing normal demagnetization curve.

IV. HIGH-TEMPERATURE MAGNETS FOR TWT APPLICATIONS

Our measurements have confirmed that the RTC of the axial
field in PPM stacks using this new series of high-temperature
magnet materials is comparable to that obtained with the previ-
ously considered “best materials available” that have low to zero
(RTC of ) [5]. Accordingly, this new series of magnet mate-
rials offers additional choices to tube design engineers and could
result in significantly higher field strengths while maintaining
the important characteristics of low reversible temperature co-
efficient of the axial field. Our measurements are based on plot-
ting 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). Feed-
back from customers that have evaluated these materials on trav- Fig. 6. Values of 1 of SmCo magnets from 0100 C to various temperatures
eling wave tubes has been favorable in a number of situations. up to 250 C.

V. EXPLANATION FOR THE IMPROVED PERFORMANCE , defined as the change of ratio from temperature
Fig. 5 is a sketch showing a normal demagnetization curve. to . Because of the working point associated with the magnets
The working point is assumed to be at and the de- in a PPM device, this parameter is as important, if not more
magnetization curve is assumed to be linear. ( is a magnetic important, than (RTC of ).
constant and equal to 1 in CGS units and, in the following dis- The thermal behavior of various SmCo magnets has been
cussions, will not appear for the sake of simplicity.) studied extensively. Table II lists typical values of , RTC of
The flux density can be written as , and the quantity . Fig. 6 shows the value of of SmCo
magnets as the temperature changes from C to various
(1) temperatures up to 250 C.
As seen from Table II and Fig. 6, both and are relatively
Assuming the magnets in the devices are exposed to a con- large for the standard SmCo 2:17 grade EEC2:17-24, therefore
stant magnetic field , which includes self demagnetization relative large change of flux density, , would be expected
field, and let , the change of flux density when the over the same temperature range. The data in Fig. 6 are cal-
temperature changes from to can then be written as culated from closed circuit measurements, which eliminate the
effect of self-demagnetization factor and variations of working
(2) point of each individual magnet. The data are closely related to
the extrinsic demagnetization curves, which is critical for any
Therefore, an empirical equation was deduced as follows: magnetic circuit designs.
The reversible temperature coefficient of the axial field of
(3)
PPM stacks is related to the RTC of as well as the RTC of
where is the change of flux density over a temperature . PPM stacks with standard SmCo 2:17-24 magnets would be
range from to at a working point of ; is the re- expected to have a relatively large reversible temperature coef-
versible temperature coefficient (RTC) of the residual induction ficient, because
; is the temperature change; is defined as 1) SmCo 2:17-24 magnets have a relatively large re-
the ratio of ; is the change of value when temper- versible temperature coefficient (RTC) of as shown
ature changes from to . in Table II. The RTC of is an intrinsic property of the
As a function of temperature, the change in flux density is a material, and is measured in closed circuit conditions
result of two components— and . The first using a KJS Hysteresigraph. PPM stacks made of mag-
component is related to , the reversible temperature coefficient nets with large RTC of would have a large system
(RTC) of . The second component is related to the quantity reversible temperature coefficient of axial field.
902 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES, VOL. 52, NO. 5, MAY 2005

2) The value, (Br/Hc), increases rapidly with tem- [2] A. E. Ray and K. J. Strnat, “Easy directions of magnetization in ternary
perature as shown in Fig. 6. Reversible temperature co- R (Co; Fe) phases,” IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 8, p. 516, MAG–1972.
[3] M. Walmer, C. Chen, and M. Walmer, “A new class of permanent mag-
efficient of is more relevant to dynamic applica- netic materials,” in Proc. IVEC Conf., Monterey, CA, 2000.
tions. The reversible temperature coefficient of PPM [4] C. Chen, M. H. Walmer, and S. Liu, “Thermal stability and the effec-
stacks would be larger if the value is larger even tiveness of coatings for Sm-Co 2:17 high-temperature magnets at tem-
peratures up to 550 C,” IEEE Trans. Magn., no. 5, pp. 2928–2930, Oct.
when the RTC of is the same. 2004.
For EEC2:17-TC15 magnets, the RTC of is almost zero, [5] C. H. Chen and M. H. Walmer, “A new series of rare earth cobalt magnet
the contribution of the first component, , in (3) to grades,” in Proc. Tri-Service VED Workshop, Norfolk, VA, 2003.
the change of flux density is insignificant. The change of
flux density, , over a specified temperature range is largely
due to the change of .
Although the RTC of is the same as that of the standard J. F. Liu (SM’00) received the Ph.D. degree in
SmCo grades, EEC high-temperature magnets (T400, T450, physics from the Institute of Physics, Chinese
T500, and T550) have significantly lower values of re- Academy of Sciences, China, in 1990.
sulting in improved performance for magnets used in PPM He is now the Director of Technology, Electron
Energy Corporation, Landisville, PA. He has over
configurations. 15 years of research experience in the field of rare
earth permanent magnets and magnetic systems. He
VI. CONCLUSION has designed various magnetic systems using finite
element analysis, and coordinated many prototyping
The new series of high-temperature magnets are metallurgi- projects for critical applications. He has worked with
almost all the existing and new permanent magnetic
cally stable at temperatures up to 550 C. More than three years materials. He has published more than 100 papers in scientific journals and
exposure to 300 C in air resulted in only 0.3% irreversible loss international/national conference proceedings.
after the initial 2-h thermal stabilization. The superior magnetic
properties and thermal stability of these high-temperature mag-
nets 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 equa- M. H. Walmer (M’00) received the B. S. degree in
materials science and engineering from Lehigh Uni-
tion was used to explain the improved performance of devices versity, Bethlehem, PA.
with high-temperature magnets. And, most importantly, these He has 34 years of experience with rare earth mag-
magnets are generally available at no additional cost. The prices nets. He joined Electron Energy Corporation (EEC),
Landisville, PA, at its inception in 1970. He helped
are comparable to those for standard magnet grades. to develop the SmCo 1:5 type products and 2:17 type
products for numerous military applications, and has
devoted his entire career to the development and man-
REFERENCES
ufacture of rare earth magnet materials.
[1] K. Strnat and W. Ostertag, Program for an in-house investigation of Mr. Walmer currently serves as an International
the yttrium-cobalt alloy system, in Technical Memorandum, May 64-4, Advisory Committee member for the International Workshop for High Perfor-
Projects 7367 and 7360, AFML, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, Mar. 1964. mance Magnets and Their Applications.