High-K, Pb-free dielectric compatible with Ag or Cu electrodes

There is a real need for dielectrics with high dielectric constant (K) that can be used for the integration of bypass capacitors within circuit boards. The present paper describes a Pb-free dielectric based on barium titanate that provides K > 5000 when co-fired with either Ag or Cu conductors. The dielectric powder is made by chemical precipitation, has sub-micron particle size, a narrow size distribution, and consists Of clusters of nanosize crystallites. Dependence of K on firing conditions is discussed as well as the steps taken to ensure high reliability (HALT)