Anisotropic Magnetoelectric Effect in a Magnetostrictive Fiber Composite—Piezoelectric Plate Structure

The magnetoelectric (ME) effect in a planar structure containing a mechanically coupled layer of a magnetostrictive fiber composite (MFC) and a layer of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is investigated. MFC was a single layer of Ni wires 25 μm in diameter located at a distance of ~150 µm from each other and fixed in a polymer matrix. The structure was placed in an external dc field H and excited by ac magnetic field. It was shown that MFC magnetostriction anisotropy leads to a strong ME effect anisotropy. The magnetoelectric coefficient for parallel orientation of the magnetic field relative to the fiber was ~1.15 V/(Oe cm), and for perpendicular orientation ~0.2 V/(Oe cm). Nonlinear frequency doubling effect was observed in the structure for parallel orientation of H.