Analysis of stress-dependent hysteresis in soft amorphous materials [Fe/sub 64/Co/sub 21/B/sub 15/ ribbons]

We present data on hysteresis under stress in amorphous materials. A novel approach, based on a modified Stoner-Wohlfarth model is applied. Results are compared with data derived from the Preisach analysis of measured hysteresis curves. The distribution of local random anisotropies is obtained from saturation return curves. On this basis, the distribution of local switching fields is derived and is directly compared with the distribution of coercive fields obtained from the Preisach analysis. These results provide physical justification for the Preisach prediction of hysteresis curves.