High Performance, Compact Capacitors for Pulse Forming Networks

This project proposes the development of a solid-state, polymer, multilayer capacitor composed of thousands of nano-dielectric layers and self-healing aluminum electrodes. Unlike conventional self supported polymer capacitor films that are limited by thickness and polymer chemistry, the proposed capacitor system makes use of a family of cross-linked amorphous polymer dielectrics that have dielectric constants in the range of ƒÛ=2.5-13, breakdown strength >1000V/ƒÝm and are integrated with aluminum electrodes using a non-contact process in an environment free of particulate contaminants. This results in defect-free polymer dielectrics that have low dielectric absorption due to their amorphous character and breakdown strengths higher than any self-supported film dielectric, due to the combination of the intrinsic polymer properties and their submicron thickness. Small area polymer dielectrics produced in this manner have exhibited energy densities up to 20J/cc at their breakdown limit, suggesting that multilayer capacitors may be possible with energy densities of about 50% of this value. This phase I program will be designed to demonstrate the properties of such solid-state polymer aluminum capacitors produced in the form of large sheets of polymer/aluminum composites with 3000-8000 -dielectric/electrode pairs. Capacitors with different dielectric constants and dielectric thickness will be produced and tested for basic capacitor properties including energy density, dissipation factor and capacitance at different temperatures, and dV/dt charge and discharge characteristics.