Microwave dielectric properties of RETiTaO6 (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Yb, Al, and In) ceramics

Abstract

Microwave dielectric ceramics based on RETiTaO6 (RE = La, Cc, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Yb, Al, and In) were prepared using a conventional solid-state ceramic route. The structure and microstructure of the samples were analyzed using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The sintered samples were characterized in the microwave frequency region. The ceramics based on Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Dy, which crystallize in orthorhombic aeschynite structure, had a relatively high dielectric constant and positive τf while those based on Ho, Er, and Yb, with orthorhombic euxenite structure, had a low dielectric constant and negative τf. The RETiTaO6 ceramics had a high-quality factor. The dielectric constant and unit cell volume of the ceramics increased with an increase in ionic radius of the rare-earth ions, but density decreased with it. The value of τf increased with an increase in RE ionic radii, and a change in the sign of τf occurred when the ionic radius was between 0.90 and 0.92 Å. The results indicated that the boundary of the aeschynite to euxenite morphotropic phase change lay between DyTiTaO6 and HoTiTaO6. Low-loss ceramics like ErTiTaO6 (εr = 20.6, Quxf = 85,500), EuTiTaO6 (r = 41.3, Quxf = 59,500), and YtiTaO6 (εr = 22.1, Quxf = 51,400) are potential candidates for dielectric resonator applications.