Tunable magnetoelectric response of dimensionally gradient laminate composites

A magnetoelectric (ME) sensor exhibiting wideband behavior as a function of applied magnetic DC bias and frequency was designed by combining the dimensionally gradient piezoelectric layer with Metglas magnetostrictive layers in laminate configuration. The ME coefficient of the band in the DC magnetic range of 52-242 Oe was measured to be 3000 mV/cm Oe under the resonant condition of f = 107 kHz. The wideband in the AC magnetic field frequency range of 41-110 kHz had the ME coefficient in the vicinity of 260 mV/cm Oe under the conditions of H-AC = 1 Oe and H-DC = 70 Oe. This frequency-dependent ME behavior clearly showed two different states on each side of the resonance peak which could open the possibility of developing new applications such as magnetic field-controlled switches. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720095]