Fabrication and characterization of (Mg 0.8 Zn 0.2 )(Ti 0.99 Sn 0.01 )O 3 ceramics as a 4.0 GHz resonator in dielectric resonator oscillator module

Dielectric resonator oscillators (DRO) have been recognized as the basic energy source in microwave telecommunication, radar, and navigation systems. This paper reports fabrication and characterization of structure, microstructure and dielectric properties of (Mg 0.8 Zn 0.2 )(Ti 0.99 Sn 0.01 ) 3 ceramics (MZTS hereafter) as a DR, a well as characterization of key parameters of a DRO module, i.e. resonant frequency, output power, bandwidth and phase noise, when the ceramics were used as a resonator in the module. Five-mm diameter solid cylindrical MZTS ceramics were fabricated and sintered at 1100 °C for 4, 6, 8, and 10 h. XRD, SEM–EDS and Network Analyzer were used to characterize the structure, surface morphology, ε r and Q factor at 3.3 GHz, and τ f of the ceramics. The ε r of 17.34–17.48, Q factor of 6464–6510 at 3.3 GHz, and τ f of 38–59 ppm/°C measured over 25–70 °C. The DRO key parameters were measured using a Spectrum Analyzer at a transverse electric (TE) 01δ resonant mode with 12 Volt dc biasing. The ceramics recorded the resonant frequency at 4.0 GHz which are stable for 1 h with large output power, narrow bandwidth, and low phase noise at 300, 500, 700 kHz, and 3 MHz offset frequencies. The best DRO characteristics was shown by the 8 h ceramic, i.e. the resonant frequency at 4.05 GHz with -6.55 dBm output power, 58.50 kHz bandwidth, and -114.56 dBc/Hz phase noise at 700 kHz offset frequency. With such performance, MZTS ceramics are promising to be used as a silent oscillator in C-band radar systems.