SBIR Phase I: Novel magnetostrictor compositions

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed at developing cryogenic magnetostrictors that have high mechanical strength and can be fabricated more cost-effectively than existing materials. The potential for the use of cryogenic magnetostrictive materials for a variety of applications such as adaptive optics, robotics, automation and linear motors is great. Several cryogenic magnetostrictive materials have been discovered recently exhibiting high strain and excellent mechanical properties. These materials, consisting of an alloy of terbium dysprosium and zinc, are not commercially available but can be fabricated in small quantities. The process is complex and expensive because of the mismatches in the melting temperatures of the constituents. The focus of this research effort is to develop compounds of alloying materials that more closely match each other thereby eliminating a time consuming and costly step of the fabrication. The result of this work will be a low-cost scalable manufacturing process for magnetostrictive materials. If successful, this project will make low-cost cryogenic magnetostrictive materials and devices available in the marketplace for precision positioning of optics, vibration control, semiconductor fabrication, valves and pumps, etc.