Push-pull mode magnetostrictive/piezoelectric laminate composite with an enhanced magnetoelectric voltage coefficient

A magnetoelectric (ME) laminate composite consisting of a symmetric longitudinally poled piezoelectric Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 crystal and two longitudinally magnetized magnetostrictive Tb1-xDyxFe2 layers has been developed that has a notably superior ME voltage coefficient, relative to previous laminate configurations. The symmetric nature of the longitudinally poled piezoelectric layer allows for operation in a push-pull mode that optimizes elastic coupling between layers. Our small laminate has a giant ME voltage coefficient of similar to 1.6 V/Oe at low frequencies, a significant enhancement of this coefficient to similar to 20 V/Oe under resonance drive, and an exceptional low-level magnetic field sensitivity of similar to 10(-12) T at f=f(0). (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.