Nanocomposite magnetic materials for magnetic devices and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016172085-A1
Application number	US-201414904887-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2014
Priority date	Jul 26, 2013
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Nanocomposite magnetic materials, methods of manufacturing nanocomposite magnetic materials, and magnetic devices and systems using these nanocomposite magnetic materials are described. A nanocomposite magnetic material can be formed using an electro-infiltration process where nanomaterials (synthesized with tailored size, shape, magnetic properties, and surface chemistries) are infiltrated by electroplated magnetic metals after consolidating the nanomaterials into porous microstructures on planar substrates. The nanomaterials may be considered the inclusion phase, and the magnetic metals may be considered the matrix phase of the multi-phase nanocomposite.

First claim

1 . A nanocomposite magnetic material, comprising:
a magnetic metal matrix phase; and an inclusion phase of consolidated nanomaterials bound by the magnetic metal matrix phase.

2 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic metal matrix phase comprises a soft magnetic material, and wherein the soft magnetic material comprises at least one of the following: Ni; Fe; Co: Ni—Fe alloy; and Co—Fe alloy.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic metal matrix phase comprises a hard magnetic material, and wherein the hard magnetic material comprises at least one alloys selected from Co—Ni, Co—Pt, Fe—Pt, Nd—Fe—B, and Sm—Co.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic metal matrix phase comprises a magnetostrictive material.

7 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the inclusion phase comprises ceramic particles or polymer nanomaterials.

8 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the inclusion phase comprises Ni 1-x Zn x Fe 2 O 4 or Mn 1-x Zn x Fe 2 O 4 , where 0≦×≦1.

9 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the inclusion phase comprises nanomaterials of a metal alloy with a dielectric shell.

10 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the inclusion phase has a fill fraction of 20-65% by volume.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein the inclusion phase has a fill fraction of 60-95% by volume.

13 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . The nanocomposite magnetic material of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the nanocomposite magnetic material is in a range of about 100 nm to about 500 μm.

17 . A method of forming a nanocomposite magnetic material, comprising:
consolidating synthesized nanomaterials of at least one inclusion phase into a porous microstructure; and performing an electro-infiltration process to fill voids of the porous microstructure with a magnetic metal matrix phase.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein consolidating synthesized nanomaterials comprises:
using at least one magnet or at least one external magnetic field to direct the synthesized particles.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein consolidating synthesized nanomaterials comprises:
using an applied electric bias to generate an electric field to direct the synthesized particles.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
selecting the synthesized nanomaterials according to at least one of size, shape, surface coating and magnetic properties; forming a mold on a planar substrate, wherein the synthesized nanomaterials are consolidated in the mold; removing the mold after performing the electro-infiltration process leaving bound consolidated nanomaterials on the planar substrate; and removing the bound consolidated nanomaterials from the planar substrate, wherein the synthesized nanomaterials comprise at least one shape selected from a group consisting of spherical, nanoflake, nanodisc, nanorod, and nanowire.

21 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein performing the electro-infiltration process comprises:
electroplating the porous microstructure with the metal magnetic matrix phase from a bottom surface to a top surface of the porous microstructure.

25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein performing the electro-infiltration process comprises:
electroless plating the porous microstructure with the metal magnetic matrix phase.

26 . A method comprising:
performing semiconductor processing to fabricate at least one semiconductor device on a semiconductor wafer; and forming a structure comprising magnetic material on the semiconductor wafer using a nanocomposite magnetic material, the nanocomposite magnetic material formed by consolidating synthesized nanomaterials of at least one inclusion phase into a porous microstructure; and performing an electro-infiltration process to fill voids of the porous microstructure with a magnetic metal matrix phase, wherein the nanocomposite magnetic material comprises a plurality of hound consolidated nanomaterials of the at least one inclusion phase and the magnetic metal matrix phase.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials are a heterogeneous mixture of different sizes and/or shapes.

29 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials have a same size and/or shape.

30 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials comprises:
a first plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials of a first inclusion phase and a first magnetic metal matrix phase; and a second plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials of a second inclusion phase and a second magnetic metal matrix phase, wherein at least one of the first inclusion phase and the first magnetic metal phase of the first plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials is different than the second inclusion phase and the second magnetic metal phase of the second plurality of bound consolidated nanomaterials.

Assignees

• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Arnold David P
• Andrew Jennifer S

Classifications

• H10P14/47

  Electrolytic deposition, i.e. electroplating; Electroless plating · CPC title

• H10D1/20

  Inductors · CPC title

• B22F3/02

  Compacting only · CPC title

• H01F41/005

  Impregnating or encapsulating (insulating of windings H01F41/12) · CPC title

• H01L21/2885

  Electricity · mapped topic