Giant magnetostrictive superlattices: from spin reorientation transition to MEMS. Static and dynamical properties

Abstract The results of development of “giant magnetostrictive” multilayers with spin reorientation transition (SRT) for microactuators are presented. Manifestations of magneto-mechanical instability and nonlinearity near SRT are studied experimentally and simulated numerically. Improvement of magneto-mechanical sensitivity near SRT is demonstrated for various modes of linear and nonlinear actuation of magnetostrictive unimorph. Limitations of sensitivity caused by magnetic field distortions are described by a numerical model, the results are compared with the experimental data.