High Performance Dielectric Thin Films Prepared by Homo-/Co-Polymerizations with a Modified Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) Techniqu

The manufacture of high energy density capacitors via the formation of high performance dielectric films is of vital importance for high pulse power applications. MSTA,LLC has demonstrated that by means of a modified PECVD technique, high quality polymer thin films have been fabricated, which are pine-hole free, dense, and homogeneous, with a highly crosslinked 3-dimensional amorphous bulk structure, and a smooth surface. This versatile process also performs plasma co-polymerization from monomers with different functionalities, which can manipulate material refractive index and by extension, the dielectric constant and other dielectric properties of the films. Furthermore, the films are also mechanically tough and robust, possessing excellent thermal stability and chemical/environment resistance, as well as good adhesion on different substrate materials and deposition capability on various shapes of the substrates. MSTA, LLC will do research in the application of this methodology to fabricate dielectric polymer films with high breakdown strength (> 800V/mm), moderate dielectric constants (2.5 - 4), and low dielectric loss (0.1% or less at 1 kHz frequency). Throughout the course of this investigation, the structure/morphology of the films will be examined and elucidated by XPS, IR, solid-state NMR, AFM, SEM, TEM, and spectroscopic ellipsometry to provide a scientifically sound basis for the study of advanced dielectric materials.