A heat treatment apparatus for a laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon includes: a lamination jig that holds the laminated body of amorphous alloy ribbon; two heating plates that sandwich the laminated body from upper and lower surfaces in a lamination direction without coming into contact with the lamination jig; and a heating control apparatus that controls a heating temperature of the two heating plates.

Mixed powder that contains first hard particles, second hard particles, graphite particles, and iron particles is used to manufacture a sintered alloy. The first hard particle is a Fe—Mo—Cr—Mn based alloy particle, the second hard particle is a Fe—Mo—Si based alloy particle. The mixed powder contains 5 to 50 mass % of the first hard particles, 1 to 8 mass % of the second hard particles, and 0.5 to 1.0 mass % of the graphite particles when total mass of the first hard particles, the second hard particles, the graphite particles, and the iron particles is set as 100 mass %.

Exemplary embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for forming a coating layer at least partially on surface of a BMG article formed of bulk solidifying amorphous alloys. In embodiments, the coating layer may be formed in situ during formation of a BMG article and/or post formation of a BMG article. The coating layer may provide the BMG article with surface hardness, wear resistance, surface activity, corrosion resistance, etc.

Exemplary embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for forming a coating layer at least partially on surface of a BMG article formed of bulk solidifying amorphous alloys. In embodiments, the coating layer may be formed in situ during formation of a BMG article and/or post formation of a BMG article. The coating layer may provide the BMG article with surface hardness, wear resistance, surface activity, corrosion resistance, etc.

An alloy is provided which consists of Fe.sub.100-a-b-c-d-x-y-zCu.sub.aNb.sub.bM.sub.cT.sub.dSi.sub.xB.sub.yZ.sub.z and up to 1 at % impurities, M being one or more of the elements Mo, Ta and Zr, T being one or more of the elements V, Mn, Cr, Co and Ni, Z being one or more of the elements C, P and Ge, 0 at %≦a<1.5 at %, 0 at %≦b<2 at %, 0 at %≦(b+c)<2 at %, 0 at %≦d<5 at %, 10 at %<x<18 at %, 5 at %<y<11 at % and 0 at %≦z<2 at %. The alloy is configured in tape form and has a nanocrystalline structure in which at least 50 vol % of the grains have an average size of less than 100 nm, a hysteresis loop with a central linear region, a remanence ratio Jr/Js of <0.1 and a coercive field strength H.sub.c to anisotropic field strength H.sub.a ratio of <10%.

An alloy is provided which consists of Fe.sub.100-a-b-c-d-x-y-zCu.sub.aNb.sub.bM.sub.cT.sub.dSi.sub.xB.sub.yZ.sub.z and up to 1 at % impurities, M being one or more of the elements Mo, Ta and Zr, T being one or more of the elements V, Mn, Cr, Co and Ni, Z being one or more of the elements C, P and Ge, 0 at %≦a<1.5 at %, 0 at %≦b<2 at %, 0 at %≦(b+c)<2 at %, 0 at %≦d<5 at %, 10 at %<x<18 at %, 5 at %<y<11 at % and 0 at %≦z<2 at %. The alloy is configured in tape form and has a nanocrystalline structure in which at least 50 vol % of the grains have an average size of less than 100 nm, a hysteresis loop with a central linear region, a remanence ratio Jr/Js of <0.1 and a coercive field strength H.sub.c to anisotropic field strength H.sub.a ratio of <10%.

The embodiments described herein relate to BMG articles with high bulk having all dimensions greater than the critical dimension. Exemplary BMG article can include at least one bulk component and/or one or more fixation elements configured on surface of the bulk component or inserted into the bulk component. Other embodiments relate to methods of making the BMG articles by thermo-plastic-formation of BMG alloy materials.

The embodiments described herein relate to BMG articles with high bulk having all dimensions greater than the critical dimension. Exemplary BMG article can include at least one bulk component and/or one or more fixation elements configured on surface of the bulk component or inserted into the bulk component. Other embodiments relate to methods of making the BMG articles by thermo-plastic-formation of BMG alloy materials.

The present invention provides a rare earth thin film magnet having Nd, Fe, and B as essential components, wherein the rare earth thin film magnet has a texture in which an α-Fe phase and a Nd.sub.2Fe.sub.14B phase are alternately arranged three-dimensionally, and each phase has an average crystal grain size of 10 to 30 nm. An object of this invention is to provide a rare earth thin film magnet having superior mass productivity and reproducibility and favorable magnetic properties, as well as to provide the production method thereof and a target for producing the thin film.

The present invention provides a rare earth thin film magnet having Nd, Fe, and B as essential components, wherein the rare earth thin film magnet has a texture in which an α-Fe phase and a Nd.sub.2Fe.sub.14B phase are alternately arranged three-dimensionally, and each phase has an average crystal grain size of 10 to 30 nm. An object of this invention is to provide a rare earth thin film magnet having superior mass productivity and reproducibility and favorable magnetic properties, as well as to provide the production method thereof and a target for producing the thin film.