DIAMOND CAPACITORS FOR AIRCRAFT POWER

THE UNIQUE RUGGEDNESS OF DIAMOND THIN FILMS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO GREATLY IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF POWER CONDITIONING CAPACITORS USING HIGHLY RADIATION TOLERANT INSULATORS FABRICATED FROM CVD DIAMOND. DIAMOND COATINGS HIGH COMPATIBILITY WITH REFRACTORY METALS AND EXCELLENT PROPERTIES AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES WILL IMPROVE THE THERMAL CYCLING CAPABILITY AND HIGH CURRENT HANDLING OF POWER CAPACITORS. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF DIAMOND'S THERMAL SHOCK RESISTANCE AND RESISTANCE TO RADIATION AND CHEMICAL ATTACK, DIAMOND DIAMOND CAPACITOR INSULATORS MAY ALSO IMPROVE THE LIFE AND RELIABILITY OF AVIONIC POWER SYSTEMS. THIS PROPOSAL IS INTENDED TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF DIAMOND INSULATORS IN CAPACITORS AND TO DETERMINE THE OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGES OF SUCH SYSTEMS IN POTENTIAL FIELD APPLICATIONS. INSULATING DIAMOND THIN FILMS WILL BE GROWN ON ENGINEERING METAL SURFACES AND CHARACTERIZED PHYSICALLY AND ELECTRONICALLY. INSULATOR TEST STRUCTURES WILL BE FABRICATED AND THE CURRENT-VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS MEASURED AS A FUNCTION OF CAPACITOR TEMPERATURE, ELECTRODE CURVATURE AND SURFACE TEXTURE ESTABLISHING THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS APPROACH TO COMMON CAPACITOR CONFIGURATIONS. PHASE II WILL FOCUS ON FABRICATING AND CHARACTERIZING DIAMOND MULTILAYER CAPACITOR COMPONENTS FOR USE IN EXISTING OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS.