Nonlinear magnetoelectric effect in a ferromagnetic-piezoelectric layered structure induced by rotating magnetic field

The magnetoelectric (ME) effect induced by a rotating magnetic field, h, in the presence of a dc magnetic field, H 0, is investigated in a disk-shaped ferromagnetic FeBSiC - piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate bilayer structure. It is found that, due to the nonlinear field-dependence of magnetostriction λ(H) in the ferromagnetic layer, voltage harmonics are generated. These harmonics have a specific dependence of their amplitude and phase on H 0 and h, which is different from the case of excitation with a linearly polarized field. A theory is developed that describes characteristics of the ME effect for the cases of weak h ≪ H 0 and strong h ≫ H 0 excitation fields. The effect can be employed in designing highly sensitive sensors of permanent and alternating magnetic fields.