Russian Scientists Creating New Material for Electronics of the Future

Denis Vinnik

Scientists from South Ural State University are creating a new material with targeted properties. It could be used for production of microwave elements in electronics, as well as for data transmission, and protection against wave action at high frequencies.

The research results have been published in Journal of Alloys and Compounds, indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases. The research studies hexagonal ferrites, the current demand for which is mostly related to using them in microwave elements in electronics.

Ferrites are materials based on ferric oxide, and the specifics of their crystal structure is that it features 5 various ferrum positions in the crystal lattice. Namely this peculiarity allows to modify the material’s structure and properties within quite a wide range. Scientists are especially interested in barium ferrites, since these have unique functional characteristics. Thus, chemical stability and corrosion resistance make these materials environmentally friendly. Low specific electrical conductivity allows to use hexaferrite magnets in high-frequency magnetic field, what looks promising for microelectronics. In addition, this material has good potential for absorbing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at microwave frequencies.

“We are producing barium hexaferrite with different degrees of aluminium alloying. The advantage of this group of materials is that thanks to their crystal structure we can vary the working characteristics of the material within the range required for a certain device. Therefore, we can speak of the possibility of adjusting the material according to certain requirements. We are especially interested in how well this material (with its structure modified through substituting ferrum with aluminium) can be used in a certain band of frequencies. Our task is to determine the microwave characteristics of the new material,” shares Head of the SUSU Crystal Growth Laboratory, Professor, Doctor of Sciences (Chemistry), Associate Professor Denis Vinnik.

Photo: Barium hexaferrite with aluminium alloying

The scientists are currently studying the properties obtained within the frequency band of 32‒50 GHz. Today it is known that barium hexaferrite with aluminium alloying allows to increase the frequency band. However, it is important not only to increase it to 100 GHz, but also find out what happens to the structure and properties at the initial moment of the structure modification. This band of frequencies was chosen due to the fact that it is used in the production of electronic devices.

By now, the new material has already been obtained using powder method. Its advantage lies in the minimization of costs during fusion, as well as in bigger potential for industrial use. The new materials produced using this method will find application in creating of composites: construction materials, which are currently used in aviation, rocket and space industry, construction, and medicine. However, first and foremost, those are being created for electronics and seem promising in the increase of the stability of electronic devices operation.

Viktoria Matveichuk; photo by the author
Contact person: 
Viktoria Matveichuk, 272-30-11
You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.