The invention relates generally to dielectric materials, and, in particular, to rare-earth-element-based titanate systems.
A dielectric material is an insulating material that does not conduct electrons easily and thus has the ability to store electrical energy when a potential difference exists across it. Common dielectric materials include glass, mica, mineral oil, paper, paraffin, polystyrene, plastics, phenolics, epoxies, aramids, and porcelain. In electronic circuits, dielectric materials may be employed as capacitors. High dielectric constant materials may be used in radar or microwave applications and for circuit miniaturization as the speed of propagation of signal is related to the dielectric constant of the medium through which it passes. If the loss tangent for a material of a given frequency signal is very low, the electrical loss related to the hysteresis decreases resulting in an efficient signal transmission.
There is a need for a dielectric material that has one or more desirable characteristics, such as, a high dielectric constant, a low loss tangent, the ability to withstand a wide range of temperatures, the ability to operate in wide range of frequencies, voltages, atmospheric conditions, and pressures, and the capability for use in the manufacture of composite structures that can be used alone or in combination with other materials.