The present invention provides a rare-earth sintered magnet that is characterized in that: R (R indicates one or more elements selected from rare-earth elements, wherein Nd is essential), T (T indicates one or more elements selected from iron-group elements, wherein Fe is essential), X (X indicates one or two elements selected from B and C, wherein B is essential), M.sup.1 (M.sup.1 indicates one or more elements selected from Al, Si, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Mo, Sn, W, Pb, and Bi), 0.1 mass % or less of O, 0.05 mass % or less of N, and 0.07 mass % or less of C are contained; the average crystal grain size is 4.0 μm or less; and relational expression (1) 0.26×D+97≤Or≤0.26×D+99 is satisfied assuming that the degree of orientation is Or [%] and that the average crystal grain size is D [μm]. With this rare-earth sintered magnet, it is possible to achieve superior magnetic characteristics in which both high Br and high H.sub.cJ are achieved.

The present invention provides a rare-earth sintered magnet that is characterized in that: R (R indicates one or more elements selected from rare-earth elements, wherein Nd is essential), T (T indicates one or more elements selected from iron-group elements, wherein Fe is essential), X (X indicates one or two elements selected from B and C, wherein B is essential), M.sup.1 (M.sup.1 indicates one or more elements selected from Al, Si, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Mo, Sn, W, Pb, and Bi), 0.1 mass % or less of O, 0.05 mass % or less of N, and 0.07 mass % or less of C are contained; the average crystal grain size is 4.0 μm or less; and relational expression (1) 0.26×D+97≤Or≤0.26×D+99 is satisfied assuming that the degree of orientation is Or [%] and that the average crystal grain size is D [μm]. With this rare-earth sintered magnet, it is possible to achieve superior magnetic characteristics in which both high Br and high H.sub.cJ are achieved.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

The purpose of the present invention is to achieve both high residual flux density and high coercivity, which are conventionally mutually exclusive characteristics, in an R—Fe—B sintered magnet. The present invention provides an R—Fe—B sintered magnet characterized by having a composition which contains R (R is one or more elements selected from among the rare-earth elements but must be Nd), B. X (X is one or more elements selected from among Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, V, and Ta), and C, with the remainder comprising Fe, O, other arbitrary elements, and unavoidable impurities. The R—Fe—B sintered magnet is also characterized by satisfying relational expression (1), where [B], [C], [X], and [O] are the atomic percentages of B, C, X, and O, respectively.

0.86×([B]+[C]−2×[X])−4.9<[O]<0.86×([B]+[C]−2×[X])−4.6   (1).

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

A magnetic material and an inductor capable of attaining both higher magnetic permeability and improved DC superposition characteristics. A composite magnetic material contains metal magnetic particles, in which the metal magnetic particles include first particles having a median diameter D.sub.50 of 1.3 μm or more and 5.0 μm or less (i.e., from 1.3 μm to 5.0 μm), and second particles having a median diameter D.sub.50 larger than the first particles. The first and second particles each include a core portion made of a metal magnetic material, and an insulating film provided on a surface of the core portion. The insulating film of the second particles has an average thickness of 40 nm or more and 100 nm or less (i.e., from 40 nm to 100 nm). The insulating film of the first particles has an average thickness smaller than that of the insulating film of the second particles.

A magnetic material and an inductor capable of attaining both higher magnetic permeability and improved DC superposition characteristics. A composite magnetic material contains metal magnetic particles, in which the metal magnetic particles include first particles having a median diameter D.sub.50 of 1.3 μm or more and 5.0 μm or less (i.e., from 1.3 μm to 5.0 μm), and second particles having a median diameter D.sub.50 larger than the first particles. The first and second particles each include a core portion made of a metal magnetic material, and an insulating film provided on a surface of the core portion. The insulating film of the second particles has an average thickness of 40 nm or more and 100 nm or less (i.e., from 40 nm to 100 nm). The insulating film of the first particles has an average thickness smaller than that of the insulating film of the second particles.

A rare earth magnet includes a main phase and a particle boundary phase and in which an overall composition is represented by a formula, (R.sup.2.sub.(1-x)R.sup.1.sub.x).sub.yFe.sub.(100-y-w-z-v)Co.sub.wB.sub.zM.sup.1.sub.v.(R.sup.3.sub.(1-p)M.sup.2.sub.p).sub.q.(R.sup.4.sub.(1-s)M.sup.3.sub.s).sub.t, where R.sup.1 is a light rare earth element, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are a medium rare earth element, R.sup.4 is a heavy rare earth element, M.sup.1, M.sup.2, M.sup.3 are a predetermined metal element. The main phase includes a core portion, a first shell portion, and a second shell portion. The content proportion of medium rare earth element is higher in the first shell portion than in the core portion, the content proportion of medium rare earth element is lower in the second shell portion than in the first shell portion. The second shell portion contains heavy rare earth elements.

A rare earth magnet includes a main phase and a particle boundary phase and in which an overall composition is represented by a formula, (R.sup.2.sub.(1-x)R.sup.1.sub.x).sub.yFe.sub.(100-y-w-z-v)Co.sub.wB.sub.zM.sup.1.sub.v.(R.sup.3.sub.(1-p)M.sup.2.sub.p).sub.q.(R.sup.4.sub.(1-s)M.sup.3.sub.s).sub.t, where R.sup.1 is a light rare earth element, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are a medium rare earth element, R.sup.4 is a heavy rare earth element, M.sup.1, M.sup.2, M.sup.3 are a predetermined metal element. The main phase includes a core portion, a first shell portion, and a second shell portion. The content proportion of medium rare earth element is higher in the first shell portion than in the core portion, the content proportion of medium rare earth element is lower in the second shell portion than in the first shell portion. The second shell portion contains heavy rare earth elements.