BMDO Contract Number: DTRA01-99-0074

Investigators:

Prof. Abdelhak Bensaoula/ bens@jetson.uh.edu
Dr. Nacer Badi/ badi@orbit.svec.uh.edu

Nitride Materials and Devices Laboratory
Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center
Science and Research One, room #724
University of Houston
Houston, Texas, 77204-5507
UH Mail stop 5507
Voice: (713) 743-3621 ext 306
Fax: (713) 747-7724

Boron Nitride -based Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors for
High Temperature Applications

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are the most reliable source for high-energy density storage banks. They also find use in high frequency switch mode power supplies. They have a large share in the capacitor market with consumption in the 350 Billions/Year.
Existing MLCCs based on sintering are temperature limited and use expensive precious metals (palladium alloyed with silver) to avoid oxidation of the electrodes. Other limiting factors are thickness control and integrity of the dielectric layers as well as effective electrodes.
Using In-situ deposition techniques, the Nitride group at the University of Houston is making MLCCs as compact electronic devices on silicon wafers, made from a stack of thin BN dielectric layers in combination with compatible low cost aluminum internal metals. We are at the stage of low scale fabrication and optimization of the A/d ratio in the capacitance design. This will result in high energy density (> 5 MJ/m³) at low voltage, higher volume efficiency, and extended operating temperature range compared to leading sintering oxide –based technologies (see caption below). The BN –based MLCC match well the SiC technology > 300 ^oC and can be integrated into existed and future MEMS systems as compact power sources. For more detail please refer to the abbreviated Phase I Report

Thermal characteristics of BN and Y7R-PBZT -based multilayer ceramic*

* For a comparative purpose, capacitance value -3.25 m F- of BN -based capacitor is normalized to 6.8 m F