High Performance Tantalum Powder for Next Generation Capacitors

"As electronic devices continue to increase their functionality while continually decreasing their size, the need for smaller components becomes increasingly more important. Capacitors, often used for filtering and conditioning of electronic signals, are acritical aspect of many high performance electronic devices. In many applications, tantalum capacitors are the capacitor of choice for a variety of reasons. Since the mid 1990's the evolution of tantalum capacitor efficiency has grown slower due toproblems associated with oxygen pickup during processing. The proposed research program addresses this problem by developing methods of producing and processing tantalum nanoparticles in such a way that they can be handled in air without oxidation. Theresult should be a material that can facilitate the further increase in tantalum capacitor efficiency thereby allowing the further miniaturization of tantalum capacitors. Phase I will focus on demonstrating the feasibility and the performance/processingbenefits of this approach to producing tantalum nanoparticles for high capacitance applications. Due to the generic nature of the production and processing technologies, the program will enable production of a broad range of technologically importantmaterials thereby enhancing the leadership role of the U.S. in advanced materials. This program will produce a new class of tantalum powder by coupling a unique synthesis process with a novel