Frequency reconfigurable phase modulated magnetoelectric sensors using ΔE effect

Magnetoelectric composites have shown promise in low power magnetic field sensing with responsive detection of low frequency fields through the modulation of electromechanical resonance by exploiting a nonlinearity in magnetoelastic properties (ΔE effect). There is also the as-of-yet unrealized potential of tuning this effect to further enhance the shift in resonant frequency of these devices. In the present work, the magnetic field sensitivity was modulated in a bending mode stress reconfigurable sensor through the application of uniaxial tensile stress, reaching up to 8% f0/mT. The minimum magnetic noise floor was determined by detecting the frequency shift using a phase locked loop circuit and was found to directly correspond to the maximum in magnetic field sensitivity that resulted from the ΔE effect.