Abstract
B$_2$O$_3$ added Ba(Mg$_{1}$3/Nb$_{2}$3/)O$_3$ (BBMN) ceramics were not sintered below 900 $^{\circ}C$. However, when CuO was added to the BBMN ceramic, it was sintered even at 850 $^{\circ}C$. The amount of the $Ba_2$B$_2$O$_{5}$ second phase decreased with the addition of CuO. Therefore, the CuO additive is considered to react with the B$_2$O$_3$ inhibiting the reaction between B$_2$O$_3$ and BaO. Moreover, it is suggested that the solid solution of CuO and B$_2$O$_3$ might be responsible for the decrease of the sintering temperature of the specimens. A dense microstructure without pores was developed with the addition of a small amount of CuO. However, a porous microstructure with large pores was formed when a large amount of CuO was added. The bulk density, the dielectric constant ($\varepsilon$$_{r}$) and the Q-value increased with the addition of CuO but they decreased when a large amount of CuO was added. The variations of those properties are closely related to the variation of the microstructure. The excellent microwave dielectric properties of Qxf = 21500 GHz, $\varepsilon$$_{r}$ = 31 and temperature coefficient of resonance frequency($\tau$$_{f}$) = 21.3 ppm/$^{\circ}C$ were obtained for the Ba(Mg$_{1}$3/Nb$_{2}$3/)O$_3$+2.0 mol%B$_2$O$_3$+10.0 mol%CuO ceramic sintered at 875 $^{\circ}C$ for 2 h.h.2 h.h.