Permanent magnet and variable magnetic flux motor

Abstract

The present invention provides a permanent magnet suitable as a variable flux magnet for a variable magnetic flux motor. A permanent magnet comprising R (R is composed of 75 at % or more of Nd and 25 at % or less of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Ce, La, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu), Fe and B as the main component, wherein, said permanent magnet is composed of a main phase of a crystal structure represented by RFeB, a ratio of the element R to all constituent element satisfies 11.8 at %≦R≦12.2 at %, a cross-sectional area ratio Are of the sub-phase with a higher concentration of R than that of the main phase to the whole magnet structure satisfies 0%<Are≦1.3%, and a cross-sectional area ratio Ama of the main phase to the whole magnet structure is 97%≦Ama.