Tunable resonance frequency of magnetoelectric layered composites

As magnetoelectric (ME) effect in the composites of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive phases is mediated by mechanical deformation, the ME effect is greatly enhanced at resonance frequency. To control the resonance frequency, the dimension of the layered ME Ni/PZT/Ni composites prepared by electroless deposition was adjusted. The consistency of the resonance frequencies of impedance and ME voltage coefficient suggests that the resonance ME coupling is associated with electromechanical resonance. The ME voltage coefficient increases as the length dimension increases. Both calculated and experimental data indicate that the resonance frequency of layered Ni/PZT/Ni composites decreases with increasing length. One can apply this characteristic of resonance frequency to design ME composites with tunable ME effects.