Large converse magnetoelectric coupling effect at room temperature in CoPd/PMN-PT (001) heterostructure

Abstract

We report a large converse magnetoelectric (CME) effect at room temperature in a multiferroic heterostructure formed from thin layers of perpendicularly magnetized CoxPd1-x alloys deposited on a piezoelectric single-crystal of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate PMN-PT(001). The CME results from a strain-induced reorientation of the CoPd magnetization. By varying the composition and thickness of the CoxPd1-x film, a large converse magnetoelectric coupling constant, α=8×10−7 s/m, at room temperature was found for 10 nm Co0.25Pd0.75. This large CME effect results from combining a highly magnetostrictive CoPd alloy with highly piezoelectric PMN-PT.