Advances in Synthesis and Characterization of Dielectric Ceramics

Dear Colleagues,

Several technological breakthroughs would not have been possible without significant advances in ceramic materials. Some of the most exciting developments have been in the design and synthesis of new ceramics. High dielectric-constant ceramics with ultra-low dielectric loss and high temperature stability are critical to the miniaturization of microwave communication systems, both for the terminals and base-stations, as well as for handsets. Piezoelectric ceramics become indispensable components in atomic-force microscopy, medical ultrasound technology, and autofocus cameras. One of the significant features in basic research in ceramics is to focus on the relationship between the fabrication, structure, properties, and performance of ceramics based on chemical synthesis and processing science, classic solid state theory, and advanced materials characterization techniques combined with computational modeling. Especially, understanding the nature and origin of structure and its influence on properties is the central topic of developing new dielectric ceramics, which depends on the design of new materials, the understanding of the relationship between the structure at the atomic level and physical phenomena, the materials processing science, the novel fabricating methods of dielectric ceramics with microscopic-to-macroscopic length scale, and the characterization of complex microstructures. Processing science of powder-based dielectric ceramics has been the mainstream of modern ceramics manufacturing technology, but thin film device processing and macroscopic (e.g., solid free-form) fabrication are increasingly important.

In this Special Issue, in addition to the synthesis and manufacturing technology of dielectric ceramics and thin films, we welcome papers that focus on the characterization of structural defects, surfaces, interfaces, and grain boundaries of dielectric ceramics with an emphasis on the atomic-level structure of ceramics.

Dr. Shaojun Liu
Guest Editor

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