Large magnetoelectric effect in mechanically mediated structure of TbFe2, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and nonmagnetic flakes

Magnetoelectric (ME) effect has been studied in a structure of a magnetostrictive TbFe2 alloy, two piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) ceramics, and two nonmagnetic flakes. The ME coupling originates from the magnetic-mechanical-electric transform of the magnetostrictive effect in TbFe2 and the piezoelectric effect in PZT by end bonding, instead of interface bonding. Large ME coefficients of 10.5 and 9.9 Vcm-1Oe-1 were obtained at the first planar acoustic and third bending resonance frequencies, which are larger than that of conventional layered TbFe2/PZT composites. The results show that the large ME coupling can be achieved without interface coupling.