Giant Dielectric Properties of Ga3+–Nb5+ Co-doped TiO2 Ceramics Driven by the Internal Barrier Layer Capacitor Effect

Giant dielectric (GD) oxides exhibiting extremely large dielectric permittivities (ε’ > 104) have been extensively studied because of their potential for use in passive electronic devices. However, the unacceptable loss tangents (tanδ) and temperature instability with respect to ε’ continue to be a significant hindrance to their development. In this study, a novel GD oxide, exhibiting an extremely large ε’ value of approximately 7.55 × 104 and an extremely low tanδ value of approximately 0.007 at 103 Hz, has been reported. These remarkable properties were attributed to the synthesis of a Lu3+/Nb5+ co-doped TiO2 (LuNTO) ceramic containing an appropriate co-dopant concentration. Furthermore, the variation in the ε’ values between the temperatures of −60 °C and 210 °C did not exceed ±15% of the reference value obtained at 25 °C. The effects of the grains, grain boundaries, and second phase particles on the dielectric properties were evaluated to determine the dielectric properties exhibited by LuNTO ceramics. A highly dense microstructure was obtained in the as-sintered ceramics. The existence of a LuNbTiO6 microwave-dielectric phase was confirmed when the co-dopant concentration was increased to 1%, thereby affecting the dielectric behavior of the LuNTO ceramics. The excellent dielectric properties exhibited by the LuNTO ceramics were attributed to their inhomogeneous microstructure. The microstructure was composed of semiconducting grains, consisting of Ti3+ ions formed by Nb5+ dopant ions, alongside ultra-high-resistance grain boundaries. The effects of the semiconducting grains, insulating grain boundaries (GBs), and secondary microwave phase particles on the dielectric relaxations are explained based on their interfacial polarizations. The results suggest that a significant enhancement of the GB properties is the key toward improvement of the GD properties, while the presence of second phase particles may not always be effective.

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Microstructure and Dielectric Properties of Bismuth Copper Tantalate as Internal Barrier Layer Capacitor Ceramic

Ferroelectrics ◽

10.1080/00150193.2013.821384 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 446 (1) ◽

pp. 78-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

D. Szwagierczak ◽

J. Kulawik

Keyword(s):

Dielectric Properties ◽

Barrier Layer ◽

Internal Barrier ◽

Internal Barrier Layer Capacitor

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The Primary Origin of Excellent Dielectric Properties of (Co, Nb) Co-Doped TiO2 Ceramics: Electron-Pinned Defect Dipoles vs. Internal Barrier Layer Capacitor Effect

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26113230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 3230

Author(s):

Theeranuch Nachaithong ◽

Narong Chanlek ◽

Pairot Moontragoon ◽

Prasit Thongbai

Keyword(s):

Dielectric Properties ◽

Loss Tangent ◽

Barrier Layer ◽

Dielectric Response ◽

High Resistivity ◽

Low Loss ◽

Rutile Tio2 ◽

Complex Defect ◽

Very High ◽

Co Doped

(Co, Nb) co-doped rutile TiO2 (CoNTO) nanoparticles with low dopant concentrations were prepared using a wet chemistry method. A pure rutile TiO2 phase with a dense microstructure and homogeneous dispersion of the dopants was obtained. By co-doping rutile TiO2 with 0.5 at.% (Co, Nb), a very high dielectric permittivity of ε′ » 36,105 and a low loss tangent of tanδ » 0.04 were achieved. The sample–electrode contact and resistive outer-surface layer (surface barrier layer capacitor) have a significant impact on the dielectric response in the CoNTO ceramics. The density functional theory calculation shows that the 2Co atoms are located near the oxygen vacancy, creating a triangle-shaped 2CoVoTi complex defect. On the other hand, the substitution of TiO2 with Nb atoms can form a diamond-shaped 2Nb2Ti complex defect. These two types of complex defects are far away from each other. Therefore, the electron-pinned defect dipoles cannot be considered the primary origins of the dielectric response in the CoNTO ceramics. Impedance spectroscopy shows that the CoNTO ceramics are electrically heterogeneous, comprised of insulating and semiconducting regions. Thus, the dielectric properties of the CoNTO ceramics are attributed to the interfacial polarization at the internal insulating layers with very high resistivity, giving rise to a low loss tangent.

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