Effective magnetoelectric properties of magnetoelectroelastic (multiferroic) materials and effects on plane wave dynamics

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the 3D modes of a linear homogeneous magnetoelectroelastic (MEE) material reduced to magnetoelectric (ME) constitutive form. This allows convenient examination of the predominately electromagnetic behavior in a mechanically coupled MEE material system. We find that the behavior of the electromagnetic modes are strongly influenced by the mechanical coupling present in the MEE material system. A number of papers refer to the cross-coupling of laminated piezoelectric and piezomagnetic materials as magnetoelectric materials. We discuss here that the composite materials are MEE systems and that the constitutive relations need to reflect the mechanical coupling also. Further, we find that the mechanical coupling has a significant impact on the electromagnetic propagation modes of the composite material. Through examples of homogenized MEE materials we show possibilities for remarkable electromagnetic material characteristics which are not conventionally obtainable in single phase materials.