Abstract
The magneto-impedance (MI) effect in a twisted Co- based amorphous wire magnetized with a short pulse current has a bistable character: the induced wire voltage jumps at certain critical fields and exhibits a sharp hysteresis. This paper analyses the basic properties of the bistable M1 effect on the basis of a hysteresis in the ac rotational permeability in the case of a helical anisotropy typical of a twisted wire. The proposed model satisfactorily describes the experimental results. The bistable M1 element, which can be shortened to 0.5 mm in length, can be used in micro-sized switch-type field sensors such as sensitive proximity sensors. It also has a potential for application in a digital magnetic memory cell of nondestructive readout for a neural network memory.
