Zirconium titanate microwave dielectrics prepared via polymeric precursor route

Zirconium titanate based materials are widely used as dielectric resonators in telecommunications. The performance of the devices depends on compositional and microstructural features. The polymeric precursor route enables the preparation of fine zirconium titanate powders at low processing temperatures. ZrTiO4 powders containing different amount of Hf (0.5% and 40 ppm) were prepared and sintered without additives at 1600 degrees C. The resulting materials were single-phase and had densities 96-98% theoretical. The dielectric Q value at 5 GHz was 5640 and the relative permittivity 36. The presence of Hf does not significantly affect the microwave dielectric response. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.