Imaging of oxide dielectrics by near-field microwave microscopy

Scanning near-field microwave microscopy was used to image LaAlO3 and TiO2 single crystals and bulk yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) polycrystalline ceramic microstructures. The effect of microstructural features including grain boundaries, twins, surface roughness, and oxygen content variations on the local dielectric constant, and the resulting microscope image quality are discussed.