Tensile-stress dependence of magnetostriction in multilayers of amorphous ribbons

It is well known that the saturation magnetostriction λ in nearly nonmagnetostrictive amorphous ribbons decreases with applied stress at a typical rate of ${10}^{\mathrm{-}10}$ ${\mathrm{MPa}}^{\mathrm{-}1}$. In this report we show by means of a simple experiment that a similar behavior is observed in samples constructed by piling up ribbons with high magnetostriction and opposite sign. A simple calculation points out that the strength of the stress dependence is governed by fluctuations in λ. It is concluded that zero magnetostriction may be reasonably achieved in Co-rich metallic glasses as a result of the coexistence of different magnetostrictive phases.