Magnetoelectric Effect in a Two-Layer Ferromagnetic-Piezoelectric System

The theory of the direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect in a two-layer ferromagnetc-piezoelectric structure that differs from the existing theories by the exact accounting of the electric field inhomogeneity as a function of the layer thickness is presented. A joint solution of the equations of motion for the piezoelectric and ferromagnetic media has allowed us to calculate numerically and analytically the dependence of the natural mechanical oscillation frequency of the system on its parameters and to determine the frequency dependence of the ME coupling coefficient. The account of the dissipative properties of the system has made it possible to estimate the maximum value of the ME coupling coefficient. The influences of the ME layer length on the natural frequencies and the ME coupling coefficient are analyzed.