Giant magnetodielectric effect in Terfenol-D/PZT magnetoelectric laminate composite

The magnetic field dependence of the dielectric permittivity of Terfenol-D/PbZrxTi1-xO3 magnetoelectric composites in the temperature range from 200 K to 340 K was investigated systematically. It was found that there is a large magnetodielectric effect up to 15% around the electromechanical resonance frequency in a magnetic field of 5 kOe at room temperature. Nonmonotonic variations of dielectric permittivity with magnetic fields are associated with the mechanical energy loss due to magnetic domain wall motion in the magnetostrictive layer Terfenol-D. A numerical modeling is proposed and agrees well with the experimental data. The results are of significance in the development of magnetic-field-tuned electronic devices at room temperature.