Voltage-driven magnetoelectric laminates enabled by interfacial design for energy-saving spintronic actuation

Abstract Energy-efficient strategies to generate and control magnetic fields without current flow are essential to reduce power consumption in electronic technologies. Here, we report polymer-based magnetoelectric (ME) laminated composites that enable voltage-driven magnetic actuation through strain-mediated coupling, without Joule losses. Laminates combining poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) layers of different thicknesses with magnetostrictive Vitrovac or Terfenol-D are fabricated using ultra-thin epoxy bonding layers, allowing systematic control of interfacial compliance and strain transfer efficiency. The influence of piezoelectric thickness, magnetostrictive constituent and adhesive layer thickness on dielectric, piezoelectric and magnetic responses is quantitatively correlated with the converse ME coefficient. Optimized PVDF/Vitrovac laminates reach a converse ME coefficient of α′₃₃ = 157 mOe·cm·V⁻¹ and generate magnetic fields up to ~142 Oe under applied voltages of ~10 V at resonance. For an identical magnetic field amplitude, voltage-driven ME actuation reduces power consumption by nearly 75% compared to conventional current-driven magnetic field generation. These fields exceed by more than two orders of magnitude the switching requirements of representative spintronic architectures, establishing a stringent benchmark for low-power magnetic actuation. The resulting structure–property–function relationships provide design guidelines for flexible and scalable ME laminates, positioning them as sustainable platforms for energy-efficient magnetic actuation.