Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors with Broad Operating Temperature Range (-55 to 350 degrees C)

For this Phase I SBIR program, high volumetric efficiency (>100uF/cm3) multilayer capacitors will be developed with at least X7R temperatue dependence (+ 15% change in capacitance) over the range -55 degrees C to 350 degees C. Three approaches will be adopted to accompish these goals: (1) the maximum temperature range for existing NPO (K 70-100) capacitors will be extended to 300 degrees C through the use of high temperature packaging (encapsulation, termination, etc.) (2) high temperature, high resistivity ferroelectrics (K 1500) with multiple phase transitions will be developed into multilayer capacitors, and (3) high temperature, high resistivity ferroelectrics (K 5000-20,000) will be fabricated into multilayer composite capacitors. In the third approach different layers of the multilayer composite capacitor will have slightly different compositions and thus different Tc's resulting in a high effective dielectric constant over a broad temperature range. Multilayers developed in this program will be tested for properties appropriate for high temperature applications. As a small capacitor manufacturer ( 50,000 components per month), Centre Capacitor is ideally suited to develop components for the relatively small high temperature market, which has not been addressed by larger companies producing billions of devices per year.