Giant magnetoelectric effect in sintered multilayered composite structures

Abstract

Trilayer composites consisting of 0.9Pb (Zr0.52 Ti0.48) O3 -0.1Pb (Zn1/3 Nb2/3) O3 (0.9 PZT-0.1 PZN) and Ni0.6 Cu0.2 Zn0.2 Fe2 O4 (NCZF) in the configuration NCZF-(0.9 PZT-0.1 PZN)-NCZF were synthesized using pressure assisted sintering. Composites with optimized magnetostrictive to piezoelectric thickness ratio showed a high magnetoelectric (ME) coefficient of 525 mV/cm Oe. Further enhancement in the magnitude of ME coefficient was obtained (595 mV/cm Oe) when the angle of applied dc magnetic field was changed to 45°. Changing the intermediate piezoelectric layer from single to trilayer stack geometry configuration leads to the realization of giant ME response of 782 mV/cm Oe in sintered composites. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.