Large magnetoelectric effect and resonance frequency controllable characteristics in Ni–lead zirconium titanate–Ni cylindrical layered composites

Magnetoelectric (ME) Ni–PZT–Ni cylindrical layered composites have been prepared by electroless deposition. The ME effect was measured by applying both constant and alternating magnetic fields parallel and perpendicular to the cylinder axis direction. The ME voltage coefficient increases with cylinder diameter. Both experimental and calculated data indicate that the resonance frequency of Ni–PZT–Ni cylindrical layered composites decreases with increasing cylinder diameter. We can apply this characteristic of resonance frequency to design a kind of ME composites with the controllable resonance ME coupling.

Research highlights
► At the resonance frequency, αE,A in the axial mode increases linearly even though HDC > 8000 Oe.
► The maximum of αE,V in the vertical mode with HDC = 270 Oe is much higher than that with HDC = 7000 Oe.
► The ME voltage coefficient increases with cylinder diameter.
► The resonance frequency of cylindrical layered composites decreases with increasing cylinder diameter.