Towards the development of high performance, frequency agile, RF/microwave dielectric ceramics based on nanoscale structural analysis

The discovery and exploitation of high performance, frequency agile i.e. field tuneable, RF/microwave dielectric materials is essential for the development of the next generation of information communication and technology. To date, most candidate materials are inherently structurally disordered. It is essential to characterize this structural disorder in order to understand the local structural origin of dielectric polarization and tuneability. Recent electron diffraction results provide local nanoscale structural information which can be used to provide insight into the mechanism underlying polar behavior in such systems. The focus is on two Bi-based pyrochlore ceramics in this paper.