The behavior of magnetostrictive nanowires and their potential for use in the design of
devices for actuation and sensing applications is explored in this chapter. An introduction to
magnetostrictive materials is presented first. This includes MOKE images of the response of
magnetic domains in a magnetostrictive material to applied magnetic fields and to applied
mechanical compression, as well as presentation of typical sensor and actuator
characterization data from bulk samples of the magnetostrictive alloy Fe 100− x Ga x (10≤ …