ABSTRACT

Ceramics encompass a wide range of polycrystalline inorganic nonmetallic materials including materials that are described as electronic, or electrical, ceramics. The spectrum of electronic ceramics includes insulators, ferrites, capacitors, substrates, varistors, PTCRs (positive temperature coefficient of resistance materials), ferroelectrics, pyroelectrics, piezoelectrics, and electro-optic ceramics. All of these materials display properties that are intimately related to their crystal structure, and how the ionic or atomic species that are present react to changes in environmental conditions, such as the application of a voltage or mechanical stress.