Course Name: SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS Code: BBS01T1002

5. B-H Curve
Objective: To draw the hysteresis curve (B-H curve) of a given sample of ferromagnetic
material and to determine retentivity, coercivity and hysteresis loss.

Apparatus Required: CRO, ferromagnetic specimen, solenoid, hysteresis loop tracer.

Theory and Formula used:

When a ferromagnetic material is magnetized in one direction, it will not relax back to zero
magnetization when the imposed magnetizing field is removed. It must be driven back to zero
by a field in the opposite direction. The lack of retraceability of the magnetization curve is
the property called hysteresis and it is related to the existence of magnetic domains in the
material. Once the magnetic domains are reoriented, it takes some energy to turn them back
again. A hysteresis loop shows the relationship between the induced magnetic flux density
(B) and the magnetizing force (H). It is often referred to as the B-H loop. An example
hysteresis loop is shown below in Figure 1.

Figure1: A typical hysteresis loop.

The loop is generated by measuring the magnetic flux density (B) of a ferromagnetic material
while the magnetic field (H) is changed. A ferromagnetic material that has never been
previously magnetized or has been thoroughly demagnetized will follow the dashed line as H
is increased. At point "a" almost all of the magnetic domains are aligned and an additional
increase in the magnetizing force will produce very little increase in B. The material has
reached the point of magnetic saturation. When H is reduced to zero, the curve will move
from point "a" to point "b." At this point, it can be seen that B remains non-zero in the
material even though H is zero. This is referred to as the point of retentivity on the graph and
indicates the remanence or level of residual magnetism in the material. (Some of the
magnetic domains remain aligned but some have lost their alignment.) As H is reversed, the
curve moves to point "c", where B becomes zero. This is called the point of coercivity on the
curve. (The reversed magnetizing force has flipped enough of the domains so that the net flux
within the material is zero.) The force required to remove the residual magnetism from the
material is called the coercive force or coercivity of the material.
 Course Name: SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS Code: BBS01T1002
As the magnetizing force is increased in the negative direction, the material will again
become magnetically saturated but in the opposite direction (point "d"). Reducing H to zero
brings the curve to point "e." It will have a level of residual magnetism equal to that achieved
in the other direction. Increasing H back in the positive direction will return B to zero. Notice
that the curve did not return to the origin of the graph because some force is required to
remove the residual magnetism. The curve will take a different path from point "f" back to
the saturation point where it with complete the loop.

From the hysteresis loop, a number of primary magnetic properties of a material can be
determined:

1. Retentivity - A measure of the residual flux density corresponding to the saturation

induction of a magnetic material. In other words, it is a material's ability to retain a certain
amount of residual magnetic field when the magnetizing force is removed after achieving
saturation. (The value of B at point “b” on the hysteresis curve.)

2. Coercivity - The amount of reverse magnetic field which must be applied to a magnetic
material to make the magnetic flux return to zero. (The value of H at point “c” on the
hysteresis curve.)

3. Hysteresis Loss: The energy loss per cycle per unit volume is called hysteresis loss and is
given by 1/4π (Area of B-H curve).

Procedure:

1. Take sample holder and insert a ferromagnetic specimen (sample) in the lower side hole of
the holder.
2. Insert this sample holder in the solenoid.
3. Before switch ‘On’ the Hysteresis Loop Tracer, connect din connector cable of solenoid to
the Input of the tracer.
4. Connect solenoid three pin connector to the tracer solenoid socket.
5. Connect ‘Y’ terminal of Hysteresis Loop Tracer to CRO ‘Y’ terminal with the help of
crocodile cable and other terminal of cable to the ‘E’ terminal of Hysteresis Loop Tracer.
6. Similarly connect ‘X’ terminal of Hysteresis Loop Tracer to CRO ‘X’ terminal with the
help of crocodile cable and other terminal of cable to the ‘E’ terminal of Hysteresis Loop
Tracer.
Note : Here +ive terminal of both crocodile cable should be connected to ‘Y’ and ‘X’
terminals respectively of Hysteresis Loop Tracer and –ive terminal of both crocodile cable
should be connected to ‘E’ terminal to Hysteresis Loop Tracer.
7. Keep CRO in ‘XY’ mode.
8. Rotate H-Balance, Phase and DC Balance knobs of Hysteresis Loop Tracer fully
anticlockwise.
9. Keep knob of Hysteresis Loop Tracer always in ‘B’ position.
10. Switch ‘On’ the Hysteresis Loop Tracer and CRO.
Note : First of all adjust the Hysteresis Loop Tracer, than switch ‘On’ the CRO.
11. By the Area Ratio and Demagnetize knob of the Hysteresis Loop Tracer, we can adjust
the shape of the curve.
12. Adjust the magnetic field intensity with the help of Magnetic Field knob of the tracer.
13. Now the Hysteresis Loop of the taken sample will display on CRO.
 Course Name: SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS Code: BBS01T1002
14. Plot the Hysteresis Loop from CRO and tabulate the magnetic field reading from display.
15. Here magnetic field in Gauss, will displays on LCD in accordance to the intensity of
magnetic field.

Observations:

Given,
Total gain of both amplifiers, gx = 100, gy = 1
Diameter of the sample: 1.20 mm (2r1); Diameter of the pickup coil = 3.26 mm (2r2)
Area ratio [ As/Ac ] = r12/r22 = 0.135; Demagnetizing factor (N) = 0.0033 ; G0 = 34.18 G/V

Observation table:

S.No. Magnetic Field Observed Loop width Tip to tip Positive intercept to
(Gauss) height negative intercept distance
(W)
(T) (Y)
(in Volts)
(in Volts) (in Volts)

Calculations:

Note: All the calculations should be done at the highest applied field to ensure that the
sample has saturated.

1. Actual Loop width = (Observed Loop width)/3 =W/3= -----------V

(Since, the area ratio for the given sample is so small the signal ex was enhanced by
multiplying area ratio and demagnetization by three. The finally obtained value of the loop
width is divided by this same factor, 3, to give the correct value of coercivity.)
2. Intercept =Y/2= --------------------- V
3. Tip to tip height = T------------ V

(a) Coercivity (Hc) ex = 1/2 x Actual Loop width = ---------------V

G0 e x
Hc=
As
−N
Ac =........................................................Gauss

(b) Hysteresis loss per unit volume per cycle (Loss)

 Course Name: SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS Code: BBS01T1002
A = Area of B-H curve in V 2

G0 G0 g x
= × ×A
As As
− N g y ( −N ) 4 π
Loss = A c Ac …………………………ergs/cycle/cm3

(c) Retentivity:
e y = Intercept = ...............V
G0 g x e y
mr = Gauss
As
g y ( −N )4 π
Ac

= ..................................... Gauss

(d) Saturation Magnetic flux density:

tH = Tip to tip height х 0.5................... V

G0 g x t H
B S= Gauss
As
g y ( −N )4 π
Ac

Result:

(1) B-H curve for the given ferromagnetic material is traced.

(2) The calculated value of
(a) Coercivity is ...................................Gauss.
(b) Retentivity is ....................................Gauss.
(c) Hysteresis Loss per unit volume per cycle is ............................ ergs/cycle/cm3.
(d) Saturation Magnetic flux density is ..........................Gauss.

Precautions and sources of error:

1. Handle CRO carefully.

2. The positions of X and Y amplifiers should not be disturbed after adjusting it once in
the whole experiment.
3. Variations in the supply voltage will affect the tracing of the curve on the paper.