Energy storage utilizing advanced CVD nanodiamond technology

Advanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) nanodiamond films are being explored as a new dielectric for high voltage, high energy density capacitors, capable of operating at temperatures greater than 200 °C. CVD diamond is considered to be a superior dielectric material for advanced capacitor technology, based on its extraordinary electrical and mechanical characteristics. Specifically, diamond has the highest dielectric breakdown strength (30MW/cm) and thermal conductivity (2000 W/m*K) of any known material. These characteristics, along with the ability to deposit high quality electrically isolating layers in a variety of thicknesses, enable the fabrication of high voltage, high energy density capacitors. APEI and International FemtoScience (FemtoSci) have created single-layer nanodiamond film capacitor test coupons and are currently investigating their capacitor characteristics to optimize the dielectric performance.

I. Introduction

Current state-of-the-art (SOA) capacitor technology has not kept pace with the rapid advancement of cutting-edge electronics [1], a major problem being the cost and size of the capacitors themselves - which ultimately restricts miniaturization of electronics. High temperature, energy dense CVD diamond capacitors are an enabling technology for lighter, smaller, more robust electronic platforms for a wide array of military, industrial, and consumer applications. APEI and International FemtoScience (FemtoSci) intend to exploit high temperature, high voltage-capable diamond technology, along with state of the art packaging techniques, to develop the next generation of advanced capacitors for energy storage applications.