Magnetoelectric response in laminated BaFe₁₂O₁₉/Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ composites

The magnetoelectric (ME) response of laminated composites consisting of BaFe12O19 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O-3 ceramics is systematically investigated. A butterfly-shaped curve of a magnetoelectric coefficient emerges in both three-layer and multilayer composites. We show that the appearance of a 7 ppm residual strain in the BaFe12O19 layer after magnetization is the main reason for this special curve. We also observe the self-biasing effect of the composites and a maximum ME response from 0.6 to 5 mV/(Oe cm) in laminated composites with magnetic and ferroelectric layers of different thicknesses that can be measured at a zero-bias magnetic field. The repeatable and stable maximum and minimum values of the magnetoelectric coefficient can be obtained under periodically applied biasing magnetic fields, which is important for a practical device application. An electric-field control of ferromagnetism, evidenced by a 17%-19% enhancement in the magnetization of the BaFe12O19 layer after Pb(Zr,Ti)O-3 is polarized, is observed in the composites, implying potential applications in memory devices for the composites. Our work indicates that both magnetic field-controlled polarization and electric-field-controlled magnetization exist in BaFe12O19/Pb(Zr,Ti)O-3 laminated composites.