PO2 Dependence of the Diffuse‐Phase Transition in Base Metal Capacitor Dielectrics

The diffuse‐phase transition in BaTiO 3 ‐based dielectrics for capacitor applications has been studied with respect to its dependence on oxygen partial pressure during sintering. Understanding the mobility of this transition is critical in developing next generation dielectrics for ultra thin (≤1 μm) applications while maintaining the appropriate temperature stability and insulation resistance. Historically, a heterogeneous core/shell microstructure was developed to maintain temperature stability. However, in fired grains of ≤250 nm (required for layers ≤1 μm) a well‐defined core/shell structure is very difficult to establish. The results from this study demonstrate that careful control of the diffuse‐phase transition addresses some of these problems.