CHARACTERIZATION OF (Mg0.5ZN0.5)TiO3 CERAMICS AS MATERIAL CANDIDATES FOR DIELECTRIC RESONATOR AT MICROWAVE FREQUENCY

Abstract

MgTiO3 ceramic is one of the dielectric materials used as a signal generator (dielectric resonator) in microwave telecommunication devices. This research is intended to explore the possibility of a new composition of MgTiO3-based ceramic, i.e. (Mg0.5Zn0.5)TiO3 (abbreviated MZT05) as a dielectric resonator material. The aim was to characterize the resonant frequency of the ceramics on the microwaves (measured using spectrum analyzer), and the results were correlated to structure (X-Ray Diffraction, XRD), microstructure (Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM), and bulk density data (Archimedes method) of the ceramics. The work was begun by compacting the MZT05 crystalline powder in a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 5 mm using a uniaxial die press to produce tablets. The tablets were sintered at 1300 ºC with variations holding times of 6, 8, and 10 h to produce ceramics. The structural data revealed that the MgTiO3 phase was identified as the main ceramics, i.e. (96.32-98.70) %molar. The bulk density increased with increasing sinter holding time, from 2.75 g/cm3 (6 h), 2.84 g/cm3 (8 h) to 2.99 g/cm3 (10 h) due to the increase in grain size diameter from 919.75 nm (6 h), 1090.62 nm (8 h) to 1180.72 nm (10 h) accompanied by a decrease in the size of the pore diameter from 924.14 nm (6 h), 917.05 nm (8 h) to 800.22 nm (10 h). The ceramics produced resonant frequencies of 5.07–5.08 GHz, which implies that the ceramics are proven to be potential candidates for dielectric resonator materials at microwave frequencies, especially at 5.07-5.08 GHz. The varying sinter holding time seems not to influence the resonant frequency of the ceramics because the variation holding times produce similar resonant frequencies.