Broadband and infrared spectroscopy of Ag0.98Li0.02NbO3 ceramics

The dielectric properties of Ag0.98Li0.02NbO3 (ALN2) ceramics were investigated in a broad frequency range (20 Hz – 60 THz). The dielectric spectra of ALN2 ceramics are mainly impacted by electrical conductivity at higher temperatures (above 400 K) and low frequencies (below 100 Hz), ferroelectric domains below ferroelectric phase transition temperature Tc = 330 K and at low frequencies (below 1 MHz), and contribution of the soft ferroelectric mode, the frequency of which is below 50 cm–1. All phononic modes are slightly temperature dependent, thus confirming the influence of Ag, O and Li ions dynamics on the phase transitions. However, the most important contribution to the dynamics of phase transition is made by Nb ions. Ceramics exhibits a huge value of dielectric permittivity and relatively low losses in a microwave frequency range (ε΄ ≈ 250 and ε˝ ≈ 20 at 10 GHz and room temperature), indicating that it is suitable for various microwave dielectric applications.