A novel ultra-low relative permittivity Mg2P4O12 metaphosphate ceramic for dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

Addressing the critical demand for ultra-low relative permittivity ceramics in advanced communication systems, this study developed a novel Mg₂P₄O₁₂ metaphosphate ceramic. At microwave frequencies, it exhibits excellent performance with ε_r = 4.61 ± 0.08, Q×f = 51,073 ± 1716 GHz, and τ_f = −11.46 ± 2.1 ppm/℃, offering significant advantages in low-latency transmission and high temperature stability. Additionally, its low bulk density (∼ 2.50 g/cm³) supports lightweight design of electronic devices. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy further demonstrated its excellent submillimeter-wave dielectric performance, suggesting potential for achieving higher Q×f values. Consequently, 5 wt% H₃BO₃ was introduced to improve sintering characteristics, significantly enhancing the quality factor to 61,757 ( ± 1608) GHz. To validate practical application, a broadband DRA was designed using Mg₂P₄O₁₂+ 5 wt% H₃BO₃ ceramics, achieving an impressive bandwidth of 27.4 % and high gain of 7.3 dBi, demonstrating great potential for radar communication applications.