Integrated NEMS Magnetoelectric Sensors and Antennas

Abstract

The coexistence of electric polarization and magnetization in multiferroic materials provides great opportunities for realizing magnetoelectric coupling, including electric field control of magnetism, or vice versa, through a strain mediated magnetoelectric coupling in layered magnetic/ferroelectric multiferroic heterostructures [1]–[9]. Strong magnetoelectric coupling has been the enabling factor for different multiferroic devices, which however has been elusive, particularly at RF/microwave frequencies. In this presentation, I will cover the most recent progress on new integrated magnetoelectric materials, magnetoelectric NEMS (nanoelectromechanical system) based sensors and antennas. Specifically, we will introduce magnetoelectric multiferroic materials, and their applications in different devices, including: (1) novel ultra-compact RF NEMS acoustic magnetoelectric antennas immune from ground plane effect with < l 0 /100 in size, self-biased operation and potentially 1~2% voltage tunable operation frequency; and (2) ultra-sensitive RF NEMS magnetoelectric magnetometers with ultra-low noise of ~1pT/Hz 1/2 at 10 Hz for DC and AC magnetic fields sensing. These novel magnetoelectric devices show great promise for applications in compact, lightweight and power efficient sensors and sensing systems, ultra-compact antennas and for radars, communication systems, biomedical devices, IoT, etc.