MICROWAVE MAGNETOELECTRIC EFFECTS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICES

Abstract

A new class of electric field tunable ferrite-piezoelectric microwave devices has been designed and characterized. The devices are based on ferromagnetic resonance or magnetostatic waves excitations in yttrium iron garnet (YIG). Resonators, phase shifters and delay lines are made of YIG-lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) bilayers in a microstripline structure. The devices provide electrical field control of resonator frequency, phase shift or delay time due to magnetoelectric interactions at the interface of the mechanically coupled piezoelectric and magnetostrictive layers. For an electric field E = 10 kV/cm applied to PZT or PMN-PT, a frequency shift of 30–50 MHz, phase shift of 90–135° and 10–25% variation in delay time are measured for devices operating at 3–10 GHz.