Ceramic Capacitors Research Articles

Giant energy storage density with ultrahigh efficiency in multilayer ceramic capacitors via interlaminar strain engineering

Dielectric capacitors with high energy storage performance are highly desired for advanced power electronic devices and systems. Even though strenuous efforts have been dedicated to closing the gap of energy storage density between the dielectric capacitors and the electrochemical capacitors/batteries, a single-minded pursuit of high energy density without a near-zero energy loss for ultrahigh energy efficiency as the grantee is in vain. Herein, for the purpose of decoupling the inherent conflicts between high polarization and low electric hysteresis (loss), and achieving high energy storage density and efficiency simultaneously in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), we propose an interlaminar strain engineering strategy to modulate the domain structure and manipulate the polarization behavior of the dielectric mediums. With a heterogeneous layered structure consisting of different antiferroelectric ceramics [(Pb0.9Ba0.04La0.04)(Zr0.65Sn0.3Ti0.05)O3/(Pb0.95Ba0.02La0.02)(Zr0.6Sn0.4)O3/(Pb0.92Ca0.06La0.02)(Zr0.6Sn0.4)0.995O3], our MLCC exhibits a giant recoverable energy density of 22.0 J cm−3 with an ultrahigh energy efficiency of 96.1%. Combined with the favorable temperature and frequency stabilities and the high antifatigue property, this work provides a strain engineering paradigm for designing MLCCs for high-power energy storage and conversion systems.

Detection of microdefects in multilayer ceramic capacitors using the instantaneous frequency in the electromechanical response

Detection of microdefects in multilayer ceramic capacitors using the instantaneous frequency in the electromechanical response

DC Electric Field-Induced Aging Effects of Electrical Characteristics on X7R Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors for Switching Mode Power Supplies

DC Electric Field-Induced Aging Effects of Electrical Characteristics on X7R Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors for Switching Mode Power Supplies

High-entropy engineered BaTiO3-based ceramic capacitors with greatly enhanced high-temperature energy storage performance

Ceramic capacitors with ultrahigh power density are crucial in modern electrical applications, especially under high-temperature conditions. However, the relatively low energy density limits their application scope and hinders device miniaturization and integration. In this work, we present a high-entropy BaTiO3-based relaxor ceramic with outstanding energy storage properties, achieving a substantial recoverable energy density of 10.9 J/cm3 and a superior energy efficiency of 93% at applied electric field of 720 kV/cm. Of particular importance is that the studied high-entropy composition exhibits excellent energy storage performance across a wide temperature range of −50 to 260 °C, with variation below 9%, additionally, it demonstrates great cycling reliability at 450 kV/cm and 200 °C up to 106 cycles. Electrical and in-situ structural characterizations revealed that the high-entropy engineered local structures are highly stable under varying temperature and electric fields, leading to superior energy storage performance. This study provides a good paradigm of the efficacy of the high-entropy engineering for developing high-performance dielectric capacitors.

Temperature stability of multilayer symmetric KNN-based ceramics with continuous phase transitions

Temperature sensitivity of the lead-free piezoelectric ceramics based on potassium sodium niobate (KNN) has posed a significant challenge for practical applications. In this study, we developed a multi-layer symmetric KNN matrix composite ceramic in a strategy of compositional symmetry to enhance the thermal stability of its piezoelectric properties. The optimized piezoelectric properties of d33 and kp can last up to 121 and 105 °C (setting 10% performance reduction as standard), superior to its single composition sample. Importantly, the compositional symmetry effectively addresses the deformation issue during ceramic sintering. This finding of stability in KNN matrix ceramics will facilitate its industrial-scale production processes.

Impact of thermal crosstalk on dependent failure rates of multilayer ceramic capacitors undergoing lifetime testing

Several research studies have investigated the degradation of BaTiO3-based dielectric capacitor materials, focusing on the impact of composition, defect chemistry, and microstructural design to limit the electromigration of oxygen vacancies under electric fields at finite temperatures. Electromigration can be a dominant mechanism that controls failure rates in the individual multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) components in testing the reliability of failures with highly accelerated lifetime testing (HALT) to determine the mean time to failure of MLCCs surface mounted onto printed circuit boards (PCBs). Conventional assumptions often consider these failures as independent, with no interaction between components on the PCB. However, this study employs a Physics of Failure (PoF) approach to closely examine transient degradation and its impact on MLCC reliability, emphasizing thermal crosstalk and its influence on dependent and independent failure rates. Finite element analysis thermal modeling and infrared thermography were used to assess the impact of circuit layout and component spacing on heat dissipation and thermal crosstalk under various electrical stress conditions. The study distinguishes between dependent and independent failures under a HALT, quantified through a β′ factor reflecting common cause failures due to thermal crosstalk. Through a series of experimental and statistical analyses, the β′ factor is evaluated with respect to temperature, voltage, and component spacing. These insights highlight the importance of understanding the nature of the data in reliability testing of MLCCs and optimizing the layout design of high-density circuits to mitigate dependent failures, improving overall reliability and informing better design and packaging strategies.

Enhanced energy storage in relaxor (1-x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xBaZryTi1-yO3 thin films by morphotropic phase boundary engineering

Perovskites at the crossover between ferroelectric and relaxor are often used to realize dielectric capacitors with high energy and power density and simultaneously good efficiency. Lead-free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 is gaining importance in showing an alternative to lead-based devices. Here we show that (1-x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 – xBaZryTi1-yO3 (best: 0.94Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 -0.06BaZr0.4Ti0.6O3) shows an increase of recoverable energy density and electric breakdown upon chemical substitution. In thin films derived from Chemical Solution Deposition, we observed that polarization peaks at the morphotropic phase boundary at x = 0.06. While Zr substitution results in reduced polarization, it enhances both efficiency and electric breakdown strength, ultimately doubling the recoverable energy density and the metallization interface by lowering surface roughness. Our dielectric capacitor shows <3% deviation of energy properties over 106 cycles. A virtual device model of a multilayer thin film capacitor (7.25 mJ recoverable energy) was used to compare its performance to already in use multilayer ceramic capacitors.

Comparison of transparency indicators of domestic samples of dental multilayer ceramics based on zirconium dioxide with indicators of a foreign analogue under different sintering modes

Relevance. New dental materials made of zirconium dioxide include 3Y-TSP and 5Y-TSP, suitable for various clinical cases, including multilayer systems that create a transparency gradient. After milling, the pre-sintered Y-TZP frames must be subjected to final sintering in 8–10 hours, although modern technologies can reduce it to 17 minutes. However, high-speed sintering can degrade the color and transparency of finished prostheses. The new monolithic ceramic systems have increased the Y3+ content to about 4 and 5 ml. %, but the indicators of layered transparency of multilayer samples after high-speed sintering remain insufficiently studied. The purpose of the work. The study of layered transparency after traditional and high-speed sintering of domestic multilayer ceramics made of zirconium dioxide and its imported analog using a laboratoryspectrophotometer. Materials and methods. Groups of 12 samples were studied: the main one (domestic production of «Ziceram ML ET») and the control one (Chinese production of «Aidite 3D Pro»), divided into subgroups «a» (traditional sintering) and «b» (high-speed sintering). The size of all samples is 15×15×1 mm, colors A1–A3, milled by removing plates from a single layer. Subgroups «a» were fired according to traditional modes with an exposure time of 30–120 minutes. Subgroup «b» was baked in a high-speed furnace in 25 minutes. Transparency was assessed using an X-Rite Ci4200 spectrophotometer using the CIE Lab* system, calculating the ratio of the «L» luminance indicators on a white and black background. Conclusions. The lightness of the layers of multilayer ceramic blanks «Ziceram ML ET» and «Aidite 3D Pro» is significantly reduced after high-speed sintering compared to traditional firing. The transparency gradients of Russian and Chinese multilayer ceramics differ, with significant changes after high-speed sintering.

Enhanced temperature stability of colossal‐permittivity Ce‐doped SrTiO3 ceramics designed by defect engineering

AbstractCerium‐doped SrTiO3 ceramics (Sr1‐3x/2CexTiO3, x = 0, 0.005, 0.0075, 0.01, 0.0125, and 0.015) were prepared by a burying sintering process. The sample with x = 0.0075 exhibits a colossal permittivity (∼ 21,000) and ultra‐low dielectric loss (∼ 0.0073) at room temperature (at 1 kHz). Furthermore, the x = 0.0075 sample maintains high permittivity (ε′ ≥ 15,000) and low dielectric loss (tanδ ≤ 0.018) in a wide temperature range (−60°C to 250°C). X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance indicate the coexistence of Ce3+ and Ti3+. According to equation , synergetic effects from defect dipoles and interfacial polarization are responsible for the observed high‐performance giant permittivity behaviors with pronounced temperature stability and ultralow tanδ. The dielectric behaviors under different DC biases evidence the minor contribution from the interfacial polarization and reflect the dominant contribution from defect dipoles. The dielectric properties of dielectric ceramics are mainly influenced by oxygen vacancy clusters and defect dipoles ((Ti3+ − − Ti3+) and ( − )). The excellent thermal stability of permittivity is also attributed to the pinning effect of defect dipoles from the charged defects which prohibit the long‐range movement of free carries. The obtained colossal permittivity and low dielectric loss SrTiO3‐based ceramics with high‐frequency/temperature stabilities are suitable for the application of single‐layer ceramic capacitors.

Global-optimized energy storage performance in multilayer ferroelectric ceramic capacitors

Multilayer ceramic capacitor as a vital core-component for various applications is always in the spotlight. Next-generation electrical and electronic systems elaborate further requirements of multilayer ceramic capacitors in terms of higher energy storage capabilities, better stabilities, environmental-friendly lead-free, etc., where these major obstacles may restrict each other. An effective strategy for energy storage performance global optimization is put up here by constructing local polymorphic polarization configuration integrated with prototype device manufacturing. A large energy density of 20.0 J·cm−3 along with a high efficiency of 86.5%, and remarkable high-temperature stability, are achieved in lead-free multilayer ceramic capacitors. The strategy provides a feasible routine from nano, micro to macro regions in manipulating local polarizations, domain-switching barriers and breakdown strength, illustrating its great potential to be generally applicable in the design of high-performance energy storage multilayer ceramic capacitors.

Stability of discharge performance of large-size antiferroelectric multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) and its correlation with phase transition under the joint influence of temperature-electric field

Stability of discharge performance of large-size antiferroelectric multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) and its correlation with phase transition under the joint influence of temperature-electric field

Stepwise optimization in MgO-modified Sr0.985Ho0.01TiO3-based ceramics for high-insulation capacitors

Stepwise optimization in MgO-modified Sr0.985Ho0.01TiO3-based ceramics for high-insulation capacitors

Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Source Model Application in Acoustic Noise Prediction

Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Source Model Application in Acoustic Noise Prediction

Accelerated degradation modeling and transfer of multilayer ceramic capacitors

Accelerated degradation modeling and transfer of multilayer ceramic capacitors

Research progress on multilayer ceramic capacitors for energy storage: review

Research progress on multilayer ceramic capacitors for energy storage: review

Measurement and computation method for internally generated heat in single LAYER ceramic capacitor (SLCC) in electronic circuit

Measurement and computation method for internally generated heat in single LAYER ceramic capacitor (SLCC) in electronic circuit

Fabrication process of ceramic capacitor derived from lead-free Bi0.5(Na0.8K0.2)0.5TiO3 bulk and powder synthesized via sol–gel method

Fabrication process of ceramic capacitor derived from lead-free Bi0.5(Na0.8K0.2)0.5TiO3 bulk and powder synthesized via sol–gel method

Detection and segmentation framework for defect detection on multi‐layer ceramic capacitors

AbstractDetecting defective multi‐layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) during the inspection stage is a crucial production task to effectively manage production yield and maintain quality. However, this task presents two challenges: the necessity of pixel‐level segmentation in high‐resolution images and unexplored defect patterns. To address these challenges, this paper introduces an MLCC defect‐detection framework based on deep learning with an MLCC dataset we constructed and a comprehensive analysis of MLCC images. Our framework employs an object‐detection model to identify dielectric regions in input MLCC images, followed by a semantic segmentation model to create dielectric masks for calculating the margin ratio. This approach follows the traditional inspection process but can be performed without specialized personnel. Furthermore, we generated pseudo‐defect images using generative adversarial networks to obtain sufficient training data. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework, which achieved a defect‐detection accuracy of 93.1%, as revealed by an in‐depth error analysis.

A study of microstructure and properties of BaTiO3 from solid‐state and hydrothermal synthesis on MLCCs performance

AbstractIt has generally been believed that the performance of ultra‐thin multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are mainly controlled by doping elements and the contribution of synthesis approaches of BaTiO3 (BT) powders can be neglected. However, in this study, we demonstrate that the solid‐state powders exhibit a heterogeneous distribution of residual BaCO3 (BC), TiO2, or Ti‐rich phases, whereas hydrothermal powders are characterized by a BC surface layer, which can be characterized by nanoinfrared (AFM‐IR), and the divergent approaches play an important role in the “core–shell” structure. The BC layer in hydrothermal BT contributes to Ti vacancies during sintering, increasing the “core–shell” ratio in MLCCs. This results in augmented capacitance but reduced performance at elevated temperatures. Conversely, the presence of a Ti‐rich phase in solid‐state powders induces Ba vacancies, leading to decreased “core–shell” ratios and dielectric constants.

Enhanced electrical reliability of Zr‐doped BaTiO3 nanoceramics: First‐principle calculations and experimental studies

AbstractWith the miniaturization of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and the increase of electric field on single‐layer dielectrics, it is essential for the development of nanograin high‐reliability dielectric materials. In this work, Zr‐doped BaTiO3‐based ceramics with an average grain size of 130–150 nm were prepared by a chemical coating method. The effects and intrinsic mechanisms of Zr concentration on microstructure, dielectric properties, and reliability were systematically investigated by theoretical calculations and experiments. Zr additives lower the migration barrier of the dopants, which consequently contributes to the formation of thick shell layers in the core‐shell structure and grain growth, affecting the temperature stability and DC bias characteristics of the dielectric constant. Owing to the large change rate of the Zr–O bond length, the introduction of Zr increases the migration barrier of oxygen vacancies. However, the decrease in the effective doping concentration of the shell part and the reduction in the number of grain boundaries of ceramics with high Zr content have a weakening effect on the inhibition of oxygen vacancy migration. An appropriate amount of Zr doping can adjust the dielectric properties and improve the reliability of BaTiO3‐based ceramics. This study provides a theoretical reference for the design of high‐quality MLCCs.