A Disruptive Pulse Power Capacitor Technology for Use in Direct Energy Weapons

Direct Energy weapons in the form of High Energy Lasers (HEL) and High-Power Microwaves (HPM) for use in air and space-based platforms, continue to be technologically challenged, mostly due to equipment size, which translates into a need for higher energy and power density components.  High voltage pulse capacitors are a key and often a critical component of different pulse power systems.  The Phase I development proposes to demonstrate the replacement of high voltage ceramic and polymer film capacitors with a disruptive multilayer, solid-state, high temperature polymer dielectric capacitor technology, that has superior energy density and specific energy. Large area polymer/metal multilayer capacitor material, comprising 1000s of high breakdown strength, nanothick polymer dielectrics, is produced in a single step manufacturing process.  The nanolaminate material is segmented and processed into prismatic shape capacitors with low series resistance and inductance, for applications that require high current carrying capacity combined with high energy density. NanolamTM  capacitors have been developed primarily for use in inverters of electric vehicles. Lower voltage pulse Nanolam capacitors have achieved a record energy density of >5 J/cc, for a medical application and have been used in a defense application to replace high voltage film/foil pulse capacitors with a 6X reduction in volume.