Converse magnetoelectric coupling in NiFe/Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}–PbTiO{sub 3} nanocomposite thin films grown on Si substrates

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 103; no. 19
• Main Authors: Feng, Ming, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Siping 136000, Hu, Jiamian, Wang, Jianjun, Li, Zheng, Shu, Li, Nan, C. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 04-11-2013
• Subjects: COMPOSITE MATERIALS; COUPLING; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; IRON ALLOYS; KERR EFFECT; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; MAGNETIZATION; MAGNETO-OPTICAL EFFECTS; MAGNETRONS; MATERIALS SCIENCE; NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; NANOSTRUCTURES; NICKEL ALLOYS; SIGNALS; SILICON OXIDES; SPIN-ON COATING; SPUTTERING; STRAINS; SUBSTRATES; THIN FILMS
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4828878

Multiferroic NiFe (∼30 nm)/Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}–PbTiO{sub 3}(PMN–PT, ∼220 nm) bilayered thin films were grown on common Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates by a combination of off-axis magnetron sputtering and sol-gel spin-coating technique. By using AC-mode magneto-optical Kerr effect technique, the change in the Kerr signal (magnetization) of the NiFe upon applying a low-frequency AC voltage to the PMN–PT film was in situ acquired at zero magnetic field. The obtained Kerr signal versus voltage loop essentially tracks the electromechanical strain curve of the PMN–PT thin film, clearly demonstrating a strain-mediated converse magnetoelectric coupling, i.e., voltage-modulated magnetization, in the NiFe/PMN–PT nanocomposite thin films.