On the τ measurement of microwave dielectric ceramics

As a key parameter of microwave dielectric ceramics, the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) determines the temperature stability of microwave dielectric ceramics and relevant microwave devices. The τf of a microwave dielectric ceramic is typically calculated from the measured resonant frequencies of the system, consisting of the ceramic sample plus other dielectric elements, at two temperatures ∼60 – 70°C apart. This measurement process assumes that τf is a constant; however, it is generally temperature-dependent based on both theoretical and experimental results. Furthermore, the as-measured τf is actually the τf of the dielectric resonator system, which is different from that of the sample itself. In this paper, these two overlooked problems during τf measurement are discussed in detail, and suggestions are given to avoid their possible misleading consequences and thus ensure the reliability of τf measurements.