Enhancement of magnetoelectric coupling in a piezoelectric-magnetostrictive semiring structure

Abstract

Studies on magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in a semiring of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) with a Terfenol-D insert reveal strong ME coupling at low frequencies and two orders of magnitude enhancement in the strength at resonance associated with a unique bending mode in PZT. A model is discussed for the resonance ME coupling that arises from radial and shearing displacements and theoretical estimates are in excellent agreement with the data. The model also predicts weak ME coupling in a full ring of PZT with Terfenol-D insert in agreement with the experiment. The results are of importance for ME composite based magnetic field sensors. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.