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Title: Dense and half-dense NiZnCo ferrite ceramics: Their respective relevance for antenna downsizing, according to their dielectric and magnetic properties at microwave frequencies

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913700· OSTI ID:22413182
 [1];  [1]
  1. Lab-STICC, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, CS 93837, 6 Avenue Le Gorgeu, 29238 Brest Cedex 3 (France)

Spinel ferrite Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 1.98}O{sub 4−x} nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method, and samples were realized by moulding and annealing at key temperatures (T{sub M} = 800 °C, 900 °C, 1050 °C, determined beforehand through shrinkage measurements) going with calcining and sintering processes. Annealing at 800 °C and 900 °C led to half-dense ceramics (porosity ∼50 vol. %), whereas bulky ferrite was obtained after annealing at 1050 °C. Elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction and ion chromatography analysis were performed. Complex dielectric permittivity (ε*) and magnetic permeability (μ*) were investigated up to 6 GHz. With increasing T{sub M}, a decreasing amount of Fe{sup 2+} was observed, going with increasing sample density. Coupled effects of the Fe{sup 2+} concentration and of the porosity, both on dielectric and magnetic properties, were chiefly investigated and discussed. The materials show almost constant permittivities (ε′ = 5.0, 6.0, and 14.8 for T{sub M} = 800 °C, 900 °C and 1050 °C, respectively). The bulk value at f = 1 GHz (ε′ = 14.8) can be interpreted well according to Shannon's theory. The permittivities of the half-dense ceramics are discussed on the basis of Bruggeman's Effective Medium Theory. The materials annealed at 800 °C and 900 °C show almost constant magnetic permeabilities in the frequency range from 0.2 to 1 GHz (μ′ = 3.4 and 6.0 for T{sub M} = 800 °C and 900 °C). The observed permeability behavior is typical of monodomain particles, except for the sample annealed at 1050 °C, for which domain wall contribution to μ* is suspected because of non-negligible losses at low frequency (μ″ = 1.3–1.8 at f < 0.3 GHz). This finding is supported by estimations of the upper and lower values for the critical grain size, on the basis of Brown–Van der Zaag's theory. Facing bulk ceramics, and in view of using Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 1.98}O{sub 4−x} ferrite as substrate for antenna miniaturization, the electromagnetic properties of half-dense ceramics materials seem to be very competitive at frequencies beyond 0.2 GHz, and up to 0.7–0.8 GHz.

OSTI ID:
22413182
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English