Comparison of noise floor and sensitivity for different magnetoelectric laminates

Abstract

We present a comparison of the magnetoelectric (ME) response and magnetic-field sensitivities of engineered laminate sensors comprised of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric phases. The ME voltage coefficients for Metglas and single crystal fibers of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3) O-3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) or Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3) O-3-PbTiO3 (PZN-PT) are about 2.8 times larger than those with Metglas-Pb(Zr, Ti)O-3 (PZT) ceramic ones. This results in a 1.7 times enhancement in the magnetic-field sensitivity for the structures with single crystals. Accordingly, the noise floors are about three to four times lower for composites with PMN-PT or PZN-PT fibers than those with PZT. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3486483]