Effects of Magnetic Fields on PN Junctions in Piezomagnetic–Piezoelectric Semiconductor Composite Fibers

Abstract

We study the electromechanical and electrical behaviors of a PN junction in a multiferroic composite fiber, consisting of a piezoelectric semiconductor (PS) layer between two piezomagnetic (PM) layers, under a transverse magnetic field. Based on the derived one-dimensional model for multiferroic composite semiconductor structures, we obtain the linear analytical solution for the built-in potential and electric field in the junction when there is no applied voltage between the two ends of the fiber. When a bias voltage is applied over the two ends of the fiber, a nonlinear numerical analysis is performed for the current–voltage relation. Both a homogeneous junction with a uniform PS layer and a heterogeneous junction with two different PSs on different sides of the junctions are studied. It is found that overall the homogeneous junction is essentially unaffected by the magnetic field, and the heterojunction is sensitive to the magnetic field with potential applications in piezotronics.