A research team from Fraunhofer IMS announced development of a capacitor with a high dielectric constant and heat resistance up to 300°C. The technology has a potential to improve the performance of semiconductor electronic components, even in applications that generate high heat.
The technology could simplify electronic design by reducing the need for cooling fins and ventilators. This could improve size and space constraints of electronics without compromising their performance in ultra-hot environments.
The team used a tantalum pentoxide dielectric between its positive and negative electrodes. As a semiconductor with a high dielectric constant (k), tantalum pentoxide has a higher concentration of charge carriers than a silicon dioxide dielectric, and can store more charge across a thinner layer with significantly less current leakage. The team also used electrically conductive silicon and ruthenium in their electrodes to improve the capacitor’s overall heat resistance.
The scientists then looked to increase the capacitance by altering the construction of the electrodes. By etching tiny holes in the electrode surface, they could increase the surface area for higher flux across the capacitor. The dielectric could also fill in the holes to be more resilient against heat. Though the dielectric is thicker, it does not require a wider distance between the electrode plates, so the alteration did not significantly lower the capacitance.
