Abstract

Both magnitude and frequency of alternating magnetic field (H<inf>ac</inf>) affect the magnetoelectric (ME) effect in a sputtered TbFe2/PZT/TbFe<inf>2</inf> laminate composite. With the increase in Hac from 5 to 20 Oe, the magnitude of ME susceptibility (the ratio of induced electric polarization to H<inf>ac</inf>) is decreased indicating an insensitive polarization to the variation of Hac in this regime. When the frequency of H<inf>ac</inf> is lower than 2.5 kHz, the ME susceptibility is increased with increasing bias magnetic field (H<inf>dc</inf>) up to 280 Oe. With further increases in H<inf>dc</inf>, the ME susceptibility drops to a saturation value. By contrast, the ME susceptibility in the case of Hac beyond 2.5 kHz is monotonically increased by the increase in Hdc up to 4500 Oe. At 2.5 kHz, the ME effect has a linear variation with the Hdc ranging from 800 Oe to 4500 Oe.