Low-field magnetodielectric effect in terbium iron garnets

Materials exhibiting low-field magnetoelectric and magnetodielectric (MD) effects are necessary for utilization of these effects in multifunctional devices. Since large magnetic fields (H) or electric fields (E) are required to produce any significant effect in existing single-phase magnetoelectrics, recent efforts have been largely devoted to the investigation of laminates or thin film composites made of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials. In this work, we report large MD effect Delta epsilon/epsilon similar to 3% at remarkably low fields (H < 2 kOe) in a single-phase material, terbium iron garnet. Our results suggest a route towards future applications of the MD effect in advanced devices. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.