STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL AND MAGNETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF Ni–Cu–Zn SPINEL FERRITES

Ni–Cu–Zn ferrite materials have been extensively used in multilayer chip inductors because of their remarkable properties at higher frequencies. In the present work, single phase Ni0.35Cu0.05Zn0.60Fe1.98O4-δ ferrite, has been prepared by microwave sintered (MS) method. In comparison with the conventional sintering method (CS), the sintering temperature and time for this MS method were significantly reduced to 30 min and 950°C from 5 h and 1250°C for the CS process. The frequency dependence of the dielectric properties such as dielectric constant (e'), dielectric loss (tan δ) were studied. The temperature dependence of magnetic initial permeability (μi) was studied. The saturation magnetization was also studied as a function of magnetic field. These microwave sintered ferrites results were compared with the properties of ferrites prepared by conventional sintering method in normal heating. Microwave sintering improves structural as well as electromagnetic parameters measured and thus makes the ferrite more suitable in microwave applications and electromagnetic devices.