Key Engineering Materials Vol. 350

Abstract: The effects of SnO2 addition on the electrical degradation characteristics of Bi2O3-MnO2-Co3O4 -added ZnO varistors were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and voltage-current (V-I) characteristics. The ZnO grain size was made uniform by the addition of SnO2 or Sb2O3. The nonlinearity index α of the V-I characteristic for Bi-Mn-Co-SnO2-added samples was approximately 50 and the varistor voltage was 120~140V/mm. The value of α after the electrical degradation showed a local maximum at approximately 0.1mol% added SnO2 and then showed a local minimum at approximately 0.5mol%, similar to the relative integral intensity of the XRD diffraction peak for the (004) plane for a small amount of SnO2 added. It is suggested that the diffusion of oxygen ions through the grain boundary is affected by the change in crystal orientation of ZnO grains at the grain boundary induced by the addition of a small amount of SnO2.

Abstract: Laminar-type thin-film ZnO varistors were fabricated on sintered alumina substrates using visible light (532nm) pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The structure of the laminar-type thin-film varistor is Ni / Co-added ZnO / impurity layer / Co-added ZnO / Ni. Many droplets were observed on the deposited Bi2O3+MnO2 compared with the deposited Co-added ZnO thin film. Moreover, for droplets on the Bi2O3+MnO2 layer, the content of Mn was higher than that of Bi. The V-I characteristics of the deposited ZnO+CoCl2 or Bi2O3+MnO2 thin film were ohmic. However, V-I characteristics of laminar-type thin film including the Bi2O3+MnO2 impurity layer deposited for 30min showed nonlinearity. The non linearity index α was approximately 2 and the varistor voltage was approximately 1V. Thermal annealing in N2 gas atmosphere at 700°C for 10 min was carried out to improve the crystallinity of the thin film. After annealing, both the varistor voltage and the current at which nonlinearity appeared decreased. Moreover, the value of non linearity index α was approximately 2.8.

Abstract: We investigated the magnetic and dielectric properties of a metal (Pt)/insulator (Cr2O3)/semiconductor (Si) (MIS) capacitor composed of magneto-electric (ME) materials. The capacitor has anti-ferromagnetic properties and a very small electrically induced magnetic moment. It also shows capacitance-voltage (C-V) properties typical of a Si-MIS capacitor without any hysteresis. By inserting a thin Cr2O3-x layer, the C-V curve has a hysteresis window with a clockwise trace, which indicates that electrons have been injected into the Cr2O3-x layer. These results indicate that this MIS capacitor contains a floating gate and an ME insulating layer in a single system.

Abstract: Various factors were investigated to decide the mechanical properties of (Mn1–xNix)3O4 ceramics, that are typical composition systems of NTC (negative temperature coefficient) thermistors. The strength of NTC thermistor ceramics can be improved by designing the material so that the compressive stress may remain at the surface of the ceramics. At high temperature, the thermal expansion coefficient of a rock salt phase segregated internally ceramic increases over that of the spinel phase, further, on the surface of the ceramics, this compressive stress remains below room temperature. Moreover, it was confirmed that the stress analysis result by the FEM corresponded well with the stress measurement result on the surface of the ceramics measured by μ -XRD.

Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) ceramics was coupled and reacted with alpha aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3) ceramics at 1200oC for 24 h. SEM observation and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed the existence of diffusion layer of 10 μm thickness on the α-Al2O3 side of interface between ZnO and α-Al2O3. The diffusion layer is considered to consist of a ZnAl2O4, from the result of XRD. The cathodoluminescence of the diffusion layer was compared with that of zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) ceramics synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method. The single phase ZnAl2O4 showed weak emission peaked at 4.6 eV. On the other hand, the diffusion layer showed intense emission peaked at 3.75 eV. The ZnAl2O4 on the α-Al2O3 side of the interface synthesized by coupling of ZnO and α-Al2O3 is considered to be a excellent material as an ultraviolet light emitter.

Abstract: The frequency dependences of the complex permeability μ r*, complex permittivity ε r*, and return loss were investigated for composite electromagnetic wave absorbers made of soft magnetic materials (permalloy or sendust) and polystyrene resin. For permalloy, two types of particle shape were used: grain-type or flake-type. The volume mixture ratio of magnetic materials was varied in the range from 40 % to 70 %. The values of the real part μ ’ and imaginary part μ ” of μ r * increased with increasing mixture ratio of magnetic materials. The frequency dependence of μ r * for flake-type permalloy composite was similar to that for sendust composite. All absorbers showed the absorption of electromagnetic waves in the frequency range above 1 GHz.

Abstract: Direct observations for high frequency microscopic dielectric distributions in cross sections of a multi-layer ceramic capacitor were carried out using non-contact type microwave probe. The measured data were imaged from the raw data and rounding data process. Using microwave reflection intensity mappings from cross sections of multi-layer ceramic capacitor, the dielectric permittivity distribution in micro-region of a multi-layer ceramic capacitor was measured at room temperature. The spatial resolution was experimentally estimated to be about 10 μm from mappings of the dielectric and inner electrode layers in a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.