Sintering behavior and microwave dielectric properties of ZnCuTiO₄ ceramics

Being a second phase in the Zn-Cu-Ti-contained ceramic systems, the sintering behavior and microwave dielectric properties of ZnCuTiO₄ are investigated for the first time. The ZnCuTiO₄ phase forms at a temperature less than 700 °C and the dependence of the dielectric properties of the ceramics on the sintering condition is found to be insignificant at sintering temperatures ranging from 900 to 1050 °C and with sintering time from 30 to 120 min. The relative densities of the specimens are higher than 95% for the entire temperature range tested during the experiment. Rather than being determined by the relative density, the Q × f of ZnCuTiO₄ ceramics is being controlled instead by the packing fraction. Specimen using ZnCuTiO₄ possesses a combination of dielectric properties with ε_r of 18.86-19.69, Q × f of 4600-6000 GHz, and τ_f of -29.1 to -34.7 ppm/°C.