Revisiting De Magnete: Printed routes for tunable magnetoelectricity in energy-efficient devices

Magnetoelectric (ME) composites are emerging as key functional materials for sustainable and low-power spintronic systems. In this work, we investigate the role of printed electrode thickness in modulating the direct and converse ME responses of flexible P(VDF-TrFE)-based nanocomposites with magnetostrictive fillers. By implementing a scalable fabrication strategy combining Aerosol Jet Printing and photonic sintering, we achieved a 270 % increase in the generated magnetic field (up to 34 Oe) and an 80 % enhancement in the converse ME coefficient, reaching values above 9 mOe.cm.V-1. These values surpass, by more than two orders of magnitude, the electric-field threshold required for spin manipulation, underscoring the relevance of this approach for energy-efficient spintronic operation. In particular, the maximum magnetic field was generated under 20 V with nanowatt-level power consumption, representing a reduction of up to 6 orders of magnitude compared to current-driven field generation methods. The printed electrode structuring improves interfacial charge distribution while preserving the composite's mechanical integrity and piezoelectric activity. This study demonstrates how principles rooted in De Magnete can be translated into modern engineering strategies for the development of tunable, high-performance ME devices, contributing to the advancement of sustainable electronics and next-generation energy systems.