Rapidly Quenched Ferromagnetic Ribbons with Shape Memory for Magnetically Controlled Micromechanic Devices

One-way shape-memory effect (SME) controlled by temperature and magnetic field in rapidly melt-quenched (RMQ) Heusler-alloy (Ni53Mn24Ga23) ribbons is experimentally studied. Two-way SME that results from training is demonstrated for submicron Ni53Mn24Ga23 samples. Reversible thermally and magnetically controlled bending of no less than 1.5% and deflection of no less than 2 mu m are reached for composite Ni53Mn24Ga23/Pt microactuators with sizes of 25 x 2.3 x 1.7 mu m(3) in the presence of magnetic field of mu(0) H = 8 T at an initial temperature of 63 degrees C.