With the recent increase in demand for electronic devices, multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) have become the most important core component. In particular, the next-generation MLCC with extremely high reliability is required for the 4th industrial revolution and electric vehicle applications. Therefore, it is necessary to develop dielectric ceramic materials with high dielectric properties and reliability. During the decades, electrical properties of BaTiO₃ based dielectric ceramics, which have been widely used in MLCC industrial field, have been improved by microstructure and defect chemistry control. However, electrical properties of BaTiO₃ have reached their limits, and new types of dielectric materials have been widely studied. Based on these backgrounds, this report presents the recent development trends of BaTiO₃-based dielectric materials for the nextgeneration MLCCs, and suggests promising candidates to replace BaTiO₃ ceramics.

Pure BiFeO₃ (BFO) and (Eu, V) co-doped Bi_0.9Eu_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+δ (BEFVO) thin films were deposited on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. The effects of co-doping were observed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical properties of the BEFVO thin film were improved as compared to those of the pure BFO thin film. The remnant polarization (2P_r) of the BEFVO thin film was approximately 26 μC/cm² at a maximum electric field of 1,190 kV/cm with a frequency of 1 kHz. The leakage current density of the co-doped BEFVO thin film (4.81×10^-5 A/cm² at 100 kV/cm) was two orders of magnitude lower than of that of the pure BFO thin film.

Pb(Sb_0.5Nb_0.5)x(Zr_0.51Ti_0.49)_1-xO₃ (abbreviation: PSN-PZT) ceramics were synthesized, using conventional bulk ceramic processing technology, with various PSN doping contents. The maximum density of PSN-PZT was 97% of the theoretical density in the samples sintered at 1,250℃. The maximum values of the piezoelectric properties achieved using the conventional processes were: k_p of 0.625, d₃₃ of 531 pC/N, and g₃₃ of 33 mV·m/N. Finally, we fabricated a piezo-speaker with the optimized PSN-PZT ceramics. The SPL of the speaker was measured at a distance of 1 m, with a driving voltage of 40 V_rms in the frequency range of ~300 Hz to 9 kHz. The measured SPL_max was at a very high level (95 dB), which was superior in quality in comparison with those of other commercial products.

Pure BiFeO₃ (BFO) and codoped Bi_0.9A_0.1Fe_0.975Zn_0.025O_3-δ (A=Eu, Dy) thin films were prepared on Pt(111)/ Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. The remnant polarizations (2Pr) of the Bi_0.9Eu_0.1Fe_0.975Zn_0.025O_3-δ (BEFZO) and Bi_0.9Dy_0.1Fe_0.975Zn_0.025O_3-δ (BDFZO) thin films were about 36 and 26 μC/cm² at the maximum electric fields of 900 and 917 kV/cm, respectively, at 1 kHz. The codoped BEFZO and BDFZO thin films showed improved electrical properties, and leakage current densities of 3.68 and 1.21×10^-6 A/cm², respectively, which were three orders of magnitude lower than that of the pure BFO film, at 100 kV/cm.

We have evaluated the ferroelectric and electrical properties of pure BiFeO₃ (BFO) and Bi_0.9A_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α(A=Nd, Tb) thin films on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by using a chemical solution deposition method. The remnant polarization (2P_r) of the Bi_0.9Tb_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α (BTFVO) thin film was approximately 65 μC/㎠, with a maximum applied electric field of 950 kV/cm and a frequency of 10 kHz, where as that of the Bi_0.9Nd_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α (BNFVO) thin film was approximately 37 μC/㎠ with a maximum applied electric field of 910 kV/cm. The leakage current density of the co-doped BNFVO thin film was four orders of magnitude lower than that of the pure BFO thin film, at 2.75×10^-7 A/㎠ with an applied electric field of 100 kV/cm. The grain size and uniformity of the co-doped BNFVO and BTFVO thin films were improved, in comparison to the pure BFO thin film, through structural modificationsdue to the co-doping with Nd and Tb.

Hybrid insulators that have the advantages of both porcelain (high mechanical strength and chemical stability) as well as polymer (light weight and high resistance to pollution) insulators, can be used in place of individual porcelain and polymer insulators that are used for both mechanical support as well as electrical insulation of overhead power transmission lines. The most significant feature of hybrid insulators is the presence of porcelain/polymer interfaces where the porcelain and polymer are physically bonded. Individual porcelain and polymer insulators do not have such porcelain/polymer interfaces. Although the interface is expected to affect the mechanical/electrical properties of the hybrid insulator, systematic studies of the adhesion properties at the porcelain/polymer interface and the effect of the interface on the insulation characteristics and electric field distribution of the hybrid insulator have not been reported. In this study, we fabricated small hybrid insulator specimens with various types of interfaces and investigated the effect of the porcelain/polymer interface on the microstructure, insulating characteristics, and electric field distribution of the hybrid insulators. It was observed that the porcelain/polymer interface of the hybrid insulator does not have a significant effect on the insulating characteristics and electric field distribution, and the hybrid insulator can exhibit electrical insulating properties that are similar or superior to those of individual porcelain and polymer insulators.

Pb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.07(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.10(Zr_0.5Ti_0.5)_0.83O₃ composition ceramics with high piezoelectric properties were fabricated by the columbite precursor method for ultrasonic generators, and the effects of sintering temperature on microstructure and piezoelectric properties were systematically investigated. It was found that the tetragonality of the ceramics decreased with increase in sintering temperature. Moreover, excellent physical properties such as d₃₃=447 pC/N, ε_r=1,843, k_p=0.641, and Q_m=1,207 were obtained for an ultrasonic generator when the second calcination temperature and sintering temperature were 720℃ and 920℃, respectively.

3YSZ + (x) Al₂O₃ composites (x = 20, 40, 60, 80 wt%) were fabricated and the influences of particle sizes of Al₂O₃ on their microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated with XRD, SEM, vickers hardness and fracture toughness. Al₂O₃-3YSZ composites containing Al₂O₃ powder of a 0.3 μm and an 1.0 μm, which are here in after named as Al2O3(0.3 μm)-3YSZ and Al₂O₃ (1.0 μm)-3YSZ, respectively, were made by mixing raw materials, uni-axial pressing and sintering at 1,400℃, 1,500℃, and 1,600℃. Al₂O₃ (0.3 μm)-3YSZ composites show the higher density and the better mechanical properties than Al₂O₃ (1.0 μm)-3YSZ composites. The Vickers hardness of the Al₂O₃ (0.3 μm)-3YSZ composites show a peak value of 1,997 Hv at the content of 60 wt% Al₂O₃, which is a slightly higher value in comparison with 1,938 Hv of the Al2O3(1.0 μm)-3YSZ composite. However, the fracture toughness of Al₂O₃-3YSZ composites monotonically increases with decreasing the content of Al₂O₃ without any peak values. Al₂O₃ (0.3 μm)-3YSZ and Al₂O₃ (1.0 μm)-3YSZ composites sintered at 1,600℃ have a maximum value of a 6.9 MPa·m1/2 and a 6.2 MPa·m1/2, respectively at the composition of containing 20 wt% Al2O3. It should be noticed that the mechanical properties and the sintering density of the Al₂O₃-3YSZ composites can be enhanced by using more fine Al₂O₃ powder due to their denser microstructure and smaller grain size.

In this study, to develop low temperature sintering capacitor composition ceramics with the good dielectric properties, (Ba0.86Ca0.14)(Ti0.85Zr0.12Sn0.03)O3 (BCTZ) ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The effects of B2O3 addition on the dielectric properties and microstructure was investigated. The XRD patterns demonstrated that all the specimens showed Perovskite phase, and secondary phases are indicated in the measurement range of XRD. And also, temperature coefficient of capacitance(TCC) of all the specimen sintered at 1,180℃ showed +3∼-56% except for x=0.006. For all the specimens, observed one peak was tetragonal cubic difuse phase transition temperature(Tc), which is located in the vicinity of room temperature.

In this study, in order to develop the capacitor composition ceramics with the good dielectric properties, (Ba0.86Ca0.14)(Ti0.85Zr0.12Sn0.03)O3+ xCuO (x= 0.006~0.010) ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The effects of CuO addition on the microstructure and dielectric properties was investigated. All specimens indicated rhombohedra1 phase without any secondary phase. As CuO addition increased, the variation width of TCC was increased at more than 40°C. Also, the specimen with x=0.007 sintered at 1,250°C showed the high dielectric constant of 9,632 in spite of low temperature sintering temperature.

Composite ceramics of alumina-TZP(3Y) have good mechanical and electrical properties. So, They have been used as high strength refractory materials and thick film substrates, etc. In this study, Composite ceramics of alumina-TZP(3Y) were fabricated by uniaxial pressing and sintering at 1,400, 1,500, and 1,600℃, and their microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. As the TZP(3Y) content in composite ceramics increases from 20 wt.% to 80 wt.%, the fracture toughness increases monotonically, which seems to be related to the higher relative density and/or toughening mechanism by means of stabilized tetragonal zirconia phase at room temperature. In contrast to the fracture toughness, Vickers hardness of the composite ceramics shows maximum value (1,938 Hv) at a 40 wt.% of TZP(3Y). The result of Vickers hardness is likely to be due to more dense sintered microstructure of composite ceramics than pure alumina and reinforcement of composite ceramics with TZP(3Y), considering that Vickers hardness of pure Al2O3 is greater than that of TZP(3Y). It is also shown that the ZrO2 particles are 1°Cated between Al2O3 grains and suppress grain growth each other.

(Na,K)NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics were synthesized by a solid phase sintering method with various milling solvents. The solvents were varied with acetone, ethanol, and pure water to investigate the effect on the microstructure and electrical properties. NKN ceramics showed the maximum values of the relative density (94%), the mechanical quality factor (Qm: 78) and the electro-mechanical coupling factor (kp: 0.25) at the ethanol solvent. It might mean that a solid phase sintering of the NKN piezoelectrics with a suitable solvent could improve the relative density and the piezoelectric properties.

In this study, in order to develop the capacitor composition ceramics with the good dielectric properties, (Ba1-xCax)(Ti0.85Zr0.12Sn0.03)O3 (abbreviated as BCTZ) ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The effects of Ca substitution on the microstructure and dielectric properties was investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that all the specimens showed perovskitephase, and secondary phases are indicated in the measurement range of X-ray diffraction. Also, all the specimens indicated an rhombohedron phase structure. It was identified from the X-ray diffraction patterns that the secondary phase formed in grain boundaries and then decreased the dielectric properties. For all the specimens, observed one peak was tetragonal cubic phase transition temperature(TC),which is located in the vicinity of room temperature.

(Na,K)NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics were synthesized by a liquid phase sintering method with a selected glass frit. The effects of the content of the glass frit and the sintering temperature on the microstructure and the electrical properties of the samples were investigated. With the 0.1 wt% of glass frit content, (Na0.52K0.44Li0.06)(Nb0.84Ta0.10Sb0.06)O3 (NKL-NTS) ceramics showed the maximum values of the relative density (99.1%) and the electro-mechanical coupling factor (kp: 0.32) at the sintering temperature of 1,050℃. It might mean that a liquid phase sintering with a suitable glass frit having the lower flow temperature could improve the relative density and the piezoelectric properties.

Two kind of Ag-pastes were prepared for integrating the bulk Si solar cell. One is the Ag-paste with Pb-based glass frit and the other is that with Bi-based glass frit. The pastes were the mixture of 84 wt% Ag, 2 wt% glass frit, 11 wt% solvent of buthyl cabitol acetate, and 2 wt% additives. After fabricating the Ag-pastes, they was coated on a SiN(x)/n+/p- stacks of a commercial mono-Si solar cell. The solar cell efficiency was 17.6% in the case of the Pb-based Ag-paste. However that was 16.2% in the solar cell integrated with the Bi-based Ag-paste. The lower performance in Bi-based Ag-paste was caused by the higher series resistance and the lower shunt resistance in comparison with the Pb-based Ag-paste.