Electric field tuning of magnetization in an antiferroelectric‐based heterostructure: Example of NMG/PLZST/NMG.

A magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructure was fabricated by depositing a Ni‐Mn‐Ga (NMG) magnetic film on an antiferroelectric (AFE) PLZST—(Pb, La)(Zr, Sn, Ti)O3—ceramic substrate. Significant and reversible electric field‐induced relative magnetization changes (∆M/M0) were firstly observed in this magnetic/AFE heterostructure, and the ∆M/M0 vs electric field loops have been found to correspond well with the strain‐electric field curve of PLZST ceramic. The maximum ∆M/M0 variation can reach 15%, indicating an obvious strain‐mediated converse magnetoelectric (CME) effect. A maximum CME coefficient of 1.14 × 10‐9 s/m was obtained at the switching electric fields of PLZST. The collected results suggest that AFE materials with a large electric‐field‐induced phase transition strain could be alternative candidates in ME coupling heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]