Electrical Response of a Multiferroic Composite Semiconductor Fiber Under a Local Magnetic Field

Abstract

We study the electrical response of a multiferroic composite semiconductor fiber consisting of a piezoelectric semiconductor layer and two piezomagnetic layers under a transverse magnetic field applied locally to a finite part of the fiber. The phenomenological theory of piezomagnetic-piezoelectric semiconductors is employed. A one-dimensional model is derived for magnetically induced extension of the fiber. For open-circuit boundary conditions at the two ends of the fiber, an analytical solution is obtained from the model linearized for small carrier perturbations. The solution shows a local electric polarization and a pair of local electric potential barrier-well. When the two ends of the fiber are under a voltage, a nonlinear numerical solution shows that the potential barrier and well forbid the passage of currents when the voltage is low. The results have potential applications in piezotronic devices when magnetic fields are involved for manipulating the devices or sensing and transduction.