Perfectly c-axis oriented micrometer thick Na0.5K0.5NbO3(NKN) films have been prepared on a thermally grown ultrathin SiO2 template layer onto a Si(001) wafer by the pulsed laser deposition technique. A x-ray diffraction θ–2θ scan reveals multiple-cell structuring of single phase NKN film along the polar axis, while films grown onto amorphous ceramic (Corning) glass show a mixture of slightly c-axis oriented NKN and pyrochlore phases. This implies a small amount of SiO2 crystallites distributed in an amorphous matrix inherit Si(001) orientation and promotes highly oriented NKN film growth. NKN film dielectric permittivity ε′ was found to vary from 114.0 to 107.2 in the frequency range 1 kHz–1 MHz, while the resistivity was on the order of 2.6×1010 Ω cm @ 20 kV/cm. The planar interdigital variable reactance device (varactor) based on the NKN/SiO2/Si thin film structure possesses a dissipation factor of 0.8% at 1 MHz and zero bias, electrical tunability of 3.1%, and nA order leakage current at 20 V bias at room temperature.

Epitaxial Na0.5K0.5NbO3 (NKN) thin films have been grown on LaAlO3 substrates by rf magnetron sputtering of a stoichiometric, high-density, ceramic target. X-ray diffraction analysis showed c-axis oriented cube-on-cube growth. Micrometer size interdigital capacitor (IDC) structures were defined on the surface of the NKN film using photolithography. The electrical characterization at 1 MHz showed dissipation factor tan δ of 0.010, tunability 16.5% at 200 kV/cm and dielectric permittivity εr=470. The frequency dispersion of εr between 1 kHz and 1 MHz was 8.5% and the IDCs showed very good insulating properties with leakage current density on the order of 30 nA/cm2 at 400 kV/cm. The polarization loop exhibits weak ferroelectric hysteresis with maximum polarization 23.5 μC/cm2 at 600 kV/cm. These results are promising for tunable microwave devices based on rf sputtered NKN thin films.

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As states, cities, tribes, and private interests cope with climate damages and seek to increase preparedness and resilience, they will need to navigate myriad choices and options available to them. Making these choices in ways that identify pathways for climate action that support their development objectives will require constructive public dialogue, community participation, and flexible and ongoing access to science- and experience-based knowledge. In 2016, a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) was convened to recommend how to conduct a sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) to increase the relevance and usability of assessments for informing action. The FAC was disbanded in 2017, but members and additional experts reconvened to complete the report that is presented here. A key recommendation is establishing a new nonfederal “climate assessment consortium” to increase the role of state/local/tribal government and civil society in assessments. The expanded process would 1) focus on applied problems faced by practitioners, 2) organize sustained partnerships for collaborative learning across similar projects and case studies to identify effective tested practices, and 3) assess and improve knowledge-based methods for project implementation. Specific recommendations include evaluating climate models and data using user-defined metrics; improving benefit–cost assessment and supporting decision-making under uncertainty; and accelerating application of tools and methods such as citizen science, artificial intelligence, indicators, and geospatial analysis. The recommendations are the result of broad consultation and present an ambitious agenda for federal agencies, state/local/tribal jurisdictions, universities and the research sector, professional associations, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, and private-sector firms.

In this paper, we present the results of the fabrication and characterization of Li2CO3 doped (Ba,Sr)TiO3 ceramics for the low temperature sintering processes. In these days, low temperature sintering process has been widely spread out for the integrated electronic modules for the communication systems such as front-end modules, antenna modules, and switching modules. Generally it is believed that low temperature sintering process can be applied to the functional materials if they can be sintered less than 900 °C. However, BaSrTiO3 materials for the tunable microwave devices applications have relatively high sintering temperature of 1350 °C. Therefore, in this study to obtain low sintering temperature, we have added 1–5 wt % of Li2CO3 to BaSrTiO3 materials to reduce the sintering temperature from 1350 to around 900 °C.