Ultrasonic Cleaning: Fundamental Theory and Application
(p. 11)
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Magnetostrictive
Magnetostrictive transducers utilize the principle of magnetostriction in which certain materials expand and contract when placed in an alternating magnetic field.
Alternating electrical energy from the ultrasonic generator is first converted into an alternating magnetic field through the use of a coil of wire. The alternating magnetic field is then used to induce mechanical vibrations at the ultrasonic frequency in resonant strips of nickel or other magnetostrictive material which are attached to the surface to be vibrated. Because magnetostrictive materials behave identically to a magnetic field of either polarity, the frequency of the electrical energy applied to the transducer is 1/2 of the desired output frequency. Magnetostrictive transducers were first to supply a robust source of ultrasonic vibrations for high power applications such as ultrasonic cleaning.
Because of inherent mechanical constraints on the physical size of the hardware as well as electrical and magnetic complications, high power magnetostrictive transducers seldom operate at frequencies much above 20 kilohertz. Piezoelectric transducers, on the other hand, can easily operate well into the megahertz range.
Magnetostrictive transducers are generally less efficient than their piezoelectric counterparts. This is due primarily to the fact that the magnetostrictive transducer requires a dual energy conversion from electrical to magnetic and then from magnetic to mechanical. Some efficiency is lost in each conversion. Magnetic hysteresis effects also detract from the efficiency of the magnetostrictive transducer.
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