Microwave sintering studies on low loss (Zn, Mg)TiO₃ dielectric resonator materials

Abstract

Low dielectric loss Zn_0.7Mg_0.3TiO₃ and MgTiO₃ microwave dielectric resonators were prepared by the conventional solid state reaction method. The microwave interaction with these materials has been studied using both single-mode and multimode microwave furnaces operating at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Microwave sintering could be achieved using a multimode microwave furnace only, whereas, interaction with a single-mode furnace showed plasma generation. Phase formation was observed by X-ray diffraction. Microwave dielectric characteristics such as dielectric constant (s’), quality factor (Q*f) and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (t/) of microwave sintered samples were measured using a vector network analyzer and compared with conventional sintered ones. Microstructure of all the conventional and microwave sintered samples was observed using high resolution scanning electron microscope. Although s’ and t/ of the conventional and microwave sintered samples are found to be comparable, the quality factor (the vital characteristic of dielectric resonators) of microwave sintered samples are observed to be much lower than those obtained by conventional sintering. The difference in these values is discussed with respect to the grain size.