Magnetoelectric Effect in Ni/PZT Laminate Composites

Giant magnetoelectric coupling effect between Ni and PZT was discovered by investigating the Ni/PZT laminate composites experimentally and numerically. The experimental results, which were well coincident with the data calculated by the finite element software ANSYS, showed that the magnetoelectric voltage coefficient alpha
_E
could reach to 4800 mV/A for Ni/PZT bilayer cantilever at its resonant frequency and the average alpha
_E
of Ni/PZT/Ni three-ply was about 1050 mV/A at its nonresonant frequency. That giant magnetoelectric coupling effect of Ni/PZT laminate composites attributed to the high magnetostrictive sensitivity of Ni at a low applied magnetic field and the high piezoelectric properties of PZT. With low cost and easy fabrication, this kind of composite was potential candidates for magnetoelectric memory devices, electrically controlled magnetic devices, magnetically controlled piezoelectric devices, and smart sensors