Temperature stable dielectric

A dielectric ceramic powder composition comprising:

• a) barium titanate;
• b) 0.01 to 2.0 wt %, based on the weight of barium titanate, of a component selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide and a precursor therefor;
• c) 0.01 to 2.0 wt %, based on the weight of barium titanate, of a component selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide and a precursor therefor;
• d) 0.01 to 2.0 wt %, based on the weight of barium titanate, of a component selected from the group consisting of germanium dioxide and a precursor therefor;
• and
• e) 1 to 6 wt %, based on the weight of barium titanate, of a component selected from the group consisting of barium oxide, calcium oxide, strontium oxide, barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, strontium carbonate and precursors therefor;
• said composition being capable of fabrication into multilayer ceramic capacitors with nickel or nickel alloy inner electrodes that have a variation of capacitance with temperature of less than .+-.10% over the range -55.degree. C. to +125.degree. C. compared with the value of the capacitance at 25.degree. C., and which does not contain any second phase after sintering, or into multilayer ceramic capacitors with noble metal inner electrodes that have a variation of capacitance with temperature of less then .+-.15% over the range -55.degree. C. to +125.degree. C. compared with the value of the capacitance at 25.degree. C., and which does not contain any second phase after sintering.