Magnetoelectric Monolithic Resonator Based on the Ferromagnetic-Piezoelectric Structure Excited With a Linear Current

A monolithic magnetoelectric (ME) resonator for applications in magnetic field sensors was manufactured and investigated. The resonator contains a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate plate of dimensions 20 mm x 4 mm x 0.2 mm with Ag electrodes, located between two layers of a magnetostrictive amorphous ferromagnet FeBSiC, each of which is 25 mu m thick. Planar acoustic oscillations with a frequency of 74 kHz in the resonator were excited by a magnetic field of linear alternating current I = 0-100 mA flowing through conductive copper strips that are 20 mu m thick, deposited on both external surfaces of the resonator. The voltage u generated by the ME resonator depends linearly on the tangential dc magnetic field in the range H = 0-130 Oe. The excitation efficiency of the resonator with a linear current reached u/I = 1.5 V/A. The use of strips with a current, instead of electromagnetic coils, to excite ME resonators will allow reduction of the size and increase the frequency of the resonators, expand the range of operating magnetic fields, and, by order of magnitude, reduce the power required to excite the resonators.