Tailoring the microwave dielectric properties of Sr0.6Ca0.4LaAlO4 ceramic by TiO2 addition

Sr0.6Ca0.4LaAlO4 ceramic was fabricated via solid-state sintering route and the effect of TiO2 addition on its microwave dielectric properties was investigated. Sr0.6Ca0.4LaAlO4 formed as the major phase along with LaAlO3 as a minor phase at 1400 °C. However, the concentration of LaAlO3 phase increased with increase in the sintering temperature and it became a major phase at 1475 °C. Maximum density was obtained for the composition with x = 0 (i.e., Sr0.6Ca0.4LaAlO4 ceramics) sintered at 1450 °C for 4 h. The TiO2 addition lowered the maximum densification temperature to 1400 °C from 1450 °C. The microwave dielectric properties varied linearly with increasing the volume fraction of TiO2 (x value). Relative permittivity (εr) increased from 20.7 to 31.1, Qufo decreased from 95,250 to 65,000 GHz, and τf was tuned through zero and increased from − 29.5 to + 25.4 ppm/°C with increase in the x value from 0 to 0.2. In the present study, εr ≈ 24.8, Qufo ≈ 83,500 GHz, and a near-zero τf ≈ − 2.5 ppm/°C was obtained for the composition with 10wt% addition of TiO2.