Researchers Achieved Ultrahigh Capacitive Energy Density in Ion-Bombarded Relaxor Ferroelectric Dielectric Films

for Next Generation of Capacitors

Researchers at Berkeley University of California reached energy storage densities as high as ~133 joules per cubic centimetre with efficiencies exceeding 75% by high-energy ion bombardment of relaxor ferroelectric thin films.

Defect-enhanced energy storage

Dielectric capacitors are vital components of electronics and power systems. The thin-film materials of which capacitors are composed are usually optimized by changing the material composition. However, Kim et al. found that postprocessing an already effective thin-film dielectric by high-energy ion bombardment further improved the material because of the introduction of specific types of defects that ultimately improved the energy storage performance. The results suggest that postprocessing may be important for developing the next generation of capacitors.

Science  03 Jul 2020:
Vol. 369, Issue 6499, pp. 81-84
DOI: 10.1126/science.abb0631

Features photo: Polarization-electric field hysteresis loops obtained from a PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 thin-film inthe (a) as-grown state, and (b) after high-energy helium-ion bombardment; credit: S.Sahar, UC Berkeley

Source: Science mag