Discontinuities of Resistance Associated with the Barkhausen Effect

Abstract

A nickel wire, under bending stress, shows a large discontinuity of magnetization. The resistance of such a wire has been examined with a sensitive Kelvin double bridge and a jump of magnetoresistance of magnitude $\frac{\mathrm{dR}}{R}=6.35\mathrm{}\times {10}^{-5\mathrm{}}$ has been found associated with the magnetization jump. The negative results of Steinberg and Miroschnischenko are explained as being due to insufficient sensitivity of their apparatus. It is suggested that the resistance jump is due to small rotations of the saturated magnetization of small elements of the material, these rotations being due to alterations of the Lorentz field by reversals of magnetization in neighboring elements.