Study of the crystalline surface of Metglas 2605 CO

X-ray studies using a diffractometer and Read camera are reported for Metglas 2605 CO. A crystalline surface layer, which extends into the sample ≲3 μm occurs on only the substrate wheel side of the as-quenched ribbon. Most of the crystallites consist of an α-iron phase and are preferentially oriented in a fiber texture configuration; the fiber axis being a mixture of the [100] and [110] directions, and normal to the ribbon surface. A small amount of non α-iron crystallinity is also present. The crystalline surface layer does not appear to influence the high value of the magnetomechanical coupling factor obtained through magnetic annealing.