Improvement on microwave dielectric properties of Zn2GeO4 via gallium doping

A series of Ga 3+ -doped Zn 2 GeO 4 willemite ceramics, in a general formula Zn 2+0.5 x Ge 1− x Ga x O 4 (0.1 ≤  x  ≤ 0.4), were prepared and the influence of Ga 3+ doping on the phase composition, structure, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties were studied. XRD, SEM, and Raman analysis evidence that by moderate gallium substitution in the nominal Zn 2 GeO 4 , the unfavorable ZnO phase was suppressed, while a low-loss ZnGa 2 O 4 phase was induced. With increasing doping content, the ZnGa 2 O 4 phase increases in phase percentage and becomes dominant (~ 69%) after x  = 0.3. Due to the mixture rule, both relative permittivity and quality factor were improved, which is related to the superior dielectric properties of ZnGa 2 O 4 compared to Zn 2 GeO 4 . The microwave dielectric properties show a remarkable dependence on the composition. Sintered at 1230 °C, a combination of dielectric performances with ε r  ~ 9.4, Q  ×  f  ~ 97,000 GHz, and τ f  ~ − 30.7 ppm/°C was accessed in the x  = 0.4 composition.