Circular Magnetoelectric Heterostructure Based Inductor Tuned with Magnetic and Electric Fields

Here we present a new design of an inductor based on a circular magnetoelectric heterostructure containing a radially poled ring of piezoelectric lead zirconate–titanate (PZT) and an outer ring of amorphous ferromagnetic FeBSiC, mechanically coupled to each other, and a toroidal coil. Control of the device inductance by magnetic and electric fields is demonstrated. The magnetic field of 0–200 Oe was applied either along the axis of the ring structure, in the plane of the structure, or created by an additional coil wounded on the ring structure, while the electric field of 0–18 kV/cm was applied to the PZT ring. The change in the inductance reached 1000 and 410% at 300 Hz frequency when tuning by magnetic and electric fields, respectively. Uncertainty in the inductance tuning caused by the magnetic and piezoelectric hysteresis of the heterostructure was observed. The energy/power requirements for tuning/maintaining inductance of the device using magnetic and electric fields are compared.