MATSE 422: Electrical Ceramics

Homepage:

Textbook: "Electroceramics: Materials, Properties and Applications", A. J. Moulson and J. M. Herbert, Chapman & Hall, London, 1993 or latest edition, required; Class notes.

References:

1. "Ceramic Materials for Electronics", R. C. Buchanan (ed.), Marcel Dekker, New York, 1986.
2. "Electronic Ceramics", L. Levinson (ed.), Marcel Dekker, New York, 1988.
3. "Principles of Electronic Ceramics", L. L. Hench and J. K. West, Wiley ­Interscience, New York, 1990.
4. "Piezoelectric Ceramics", B. Jaffe, W. R. Cook, Jr. and H. Jaffe, Academic Press, London, 1971.

Catalog Description, Prerequisites and Schedule:

Presents the subject of dielectric crystals and their electrical properties; discussion and correlation of ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of several crystal classes; coverage in detail of the perovskite class of ferroelectric compounds; and discussion of spinel, garnet, and hexagonal type ferrimagnetic crystals and their properties. Prerequisite: MATSE 321 or consent of instructor. 3 hours or 3/4 unit, 3 lecture-discussion hours/ week.

Course Topics:

1. Introduction: Inorganic nonmetallic materials, historical developments of electrical ceramics, functionality, R,L & C, traditional and advanced, materials, applications, useful and enabling properties
2. Solid State Science---Review: insulators, dielectrics, polarization, charge displacement, dispersion, relaxation, temperature dependence. Perovskite structure, phase transformations, domains. Dielectric mixing rules.
3. Processing and Fabrication: Processing cycle, materials selection, compositions, forming, thermal processing, electroding, characterization. Tape casting, mulilayers. Crystal growth.
4. Conductors; Heating elements, electrodes, varistors, thermistors, PTCR, ionic conductors, sensors, superconductors
5. Insulators and Dielectrics; Dielectric strength, capacitors, equivalent circuits, EIA classifications, high Q, temperature compensating, high -dielectric constant, boundary layer devices, design of temperature characteristics. Ferroelectricity, barium titanate.
6. Piezoelectrics: Point groups, structure-property relations, direct and converse effects. Thermodynamics, Heckmann diagram. Field-induced strains, voltage generation, actuators, energy conversion, applications, PZT.
7. Pyroelectrics: Polar point groups, thermodynamics, electrical and thermal considerations, design of a pyroelectric detector, figures of merit, materials selection.
8. Electrooptics: Crystal systems, optical anisotropy, birefringence, indicatrix concepts, non-linear optics, linear and quadratic effects, SHG, devices, PLZT.
9. Magnetics: Spinel, normal and inverse, Weiss domains, ferrites, soft and hard, superexchange, garnets, temperature compensation, permeability, Q, microstructure-property relations, chemical substitutions, device performance, applications.

Course Objectives:

1. To provide students with a basic understanding of electrical ceramic materials.
2. To demonstrate interrelationships between structure-property relationships.
3. To teach the importance of the processing cycle on materials selection, thermal processing conditions, phase and microstructure development, on properties and usage.
4. To provide students an historical perspective of the development of functional (i.e., R, L, C) electrical ceramics.
5. To provide students with an appreciation for recent developments in the electrical ceramics industry.
6. To provide case histories of the logical design of electrical ceramics for new applications.
7. To challenge the students on how to make new functional materials.

Course Outcomes:

1. To be able to apply the principles of physical sciences and engineering to electrical ceramic systems.
2. To be able to integrate prior knowledge of materials science and engineering to composition-processing-structure-properties-performance relationships for electrical ceramic materials.
3. To be able to apply modern characterization methods for the control of the processing cycle for the reproducible manufacture of reliable and consistent electrical ceramic products.
4. To be able to relate important developments in the past with future needs in the electrical ceramics industry.

Assessment Tools:

1. Frequent reading assignments from the required text, discussion in class.
2. Homework assignments from the required text, after each chapter.
3. Two hourly exams in class, written, closed book, designed to test the student's ability to apply his/her knowledge and solve problems.
4. A final 3 hour exam in class, written, closed book, designed to test the student's ability to apply his/her knowledge and solve problems.

Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component:

100%

Prepared by:

D.A. Payne, April 2001