Novel high strength capacitor dielectrics

In this SBIR program Nanohmics propose to fabricate high breakdown strength flexible dielectrics films for use in high voltage capacitors from sputter deposited amorphous oxides. Previous work at Nanohmics has demonstrated a room temperature sputtering technique to deposit exceedingly high quality flexible amorphous nitride films at room temperature with properties similar to their single crystal counterparts. In this program we propose to use a similar growth technique to fabricate amorphous oxides such as ZrO2, HfO2, TiO2 as well as amorphous SiO2. After deposition, Nanohmics will test the films for dielectric strength, breakdown voltage, dielectric constant, high frequency loss and other electrical properties. The material with the best dielectric properties will be manufactured into a test capacitor and delivered at the end of the Phase I program. The Phase II program will take this dielectric, optimize the deposition process for lifetime and scalability then develop a reel-to-reel dielectric on foil manufacturing process necessary to fabricate wound capacitors in volume.