Self-biased Metglas/PVDF/Ni magnetoelectric laminate for AC magnetic sensors with a wide frequency range

Abstract

Abstract In this work, an arc-shaped Metglas/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/Ni laminate is proposed, which exhibits a large self-biased magnetoelectric (ME) effect due to the internal magnetization gradient field between the two magnetic layers and the built-in stress formed from the arc-shaped structure. The ME coefficients reach 38.24 and 15.0 V cm−1 Oe−1 without a DC bias magnetic field at resonance and nonresonant frequencies, respectively. The sample shows a high sensitivity, resolution and linearity with values of 210.07 mV Oe−1, 1 nT and 0.9999 at the resonance frequency, respectively. The sample was then used to detect AC magnetic fields with different nonresonant frequencies (ranging from 1 to 25 kHz), resulting in the measured data being in good agreement with the actual data. Under a zero bias magnetic field and at frequencies of 40 and 1 Hz, the limit of detection can reach 2 and 8 nT, and the resolution can reach 1 and 4 nT, respectively. The results indicate that the arc-shaped Metglas/PVDF/Ni laminate shows a large self-biased ME effect and good AC magnetic sensing performance in the bending state, which provides a new way to develop a wide frequency range AC magnetic sensor.