Dielectric Materials Enhancement via Excimer Laser Processing

Directed Energy Weapons of the microwave nature require high microwave power devices which employ insulators. Currently, a major limitation to the microwave power that can be generated is the limited electric field an insulator can withstand within vacuum due to the surface flashover phenomena. While the exact nature of the propagation of the surface flashover event across the insulator surface is still under debate, it is clear that charge trapping at the insulator surface plays a major facilitative role in the propagation of the flashover. AMBP Tech proposes to utilize excimer laser processing to eliminate the charge trapping centers through the annihilation of point defects, which should then eliminate the surface flashover phenomena. AMBP Tech will apply its expertise in laser processing to ceramic and polymeric materials to determine which material has the more promising path to eliminating the surface flashover and help enable higher microwave power devices.