Single crystals of nickel-manganese-gallium, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA), show up to 10% elongation in response to an applied magnetic field or mechanical stress. The change in dimension is not a result of magnetostriction but of twin boundary motion through the material. The field-induced extension has previously been reversed only by a compressive mechanical stress from a spring or orthogonal field. The use of a second crystal of Ni-Mn-Ga to provide the reset force is unreported.

Data are shown here of the stress and strain behavior of two FSMA crystals connected in series and subjected alternately to a magnetic field. Two samples, one initially in full extension and the other in compression, are arranged in series in a rigid frame such that their total length is held constant. A pulsed magnetic field is alternately applied to the samples, with the output energy of the extending crystal tending to apply a resetting force to the other. This setup shows up to 1.5% resetting strain in single crystal laminates.