BaTiO₃ devices doped with Zr using mechanical alloying

The purpose of this work was to compare the microstructure and electrical characteristics of BaTiO₃ devices doped with Zr for conventional fabrication and for mechanical alloying (MA). The sintered samples fabricated with MA powder showed better ZrO₂ dissolution and smaller grain sizes than the conventional samples. Lower values of loss factor and higher resistivities were observed in devices fabricated with MA powders. When the ZrO₂ concentration increases, the resistivity and the loss factor increase while the dielectric constant decreases. These effects are explained in terms of grain size reduction and lattice distortion.