Solid electrolytic capacitor containing a vapor-deposited barrier film
A capacitor comprising a solid electrolytic capacitor element that contains a sintered porous anode body, a dielectric that overlies the anode body, and a solid electrolyte that overlies the dielectric. The capacitor further contains a barrier film that is formed by vapor deposition and that is positioned between the dielectric and the solid electrolyte or overlies the dielectric.
1. A method for forming a solid electrolytic capacitor element, the method comprising:
positioning a capacitor element within a reactor vessel, wherein the capacitor element comprises a sintered porous anode body and a dielectric overlying the anode body;
forming a barrier film on the capacitor element by a vapor deposition process, the process including subjecting the capacitor element to a reaction cycle that includes contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous precursor compound that bonds to a surface of the dielectric; and
applying a solid electrolyte over the film.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor deposition process includes atomic layer deposition, molecular layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein precursor compound includes a polyarylene.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polyarylene has the following general structure:
wherein,
R 1 is alkyl, alkenyl, halo, or haloalkyl; and
R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, halo, or haloalkyl, wherein one or more of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , or R 6 are optionally bonded with a second polyarylene ring structure to form a dimer.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polyarylene is 1,4-dimethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethylbenzene, 1,2-dimethylbenzene, toluene, 4-methyl styrene, 3-methylstyrene, 2-methylstyrene, 1,4-divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylbenzene, 1,2-divinylbenzene, chlorinated polyarylene, [2,2]paracylcophane, or a combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction cycle further comprises contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous co-reactant.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the co-reactant includes a fluorohydrocarbon compound.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor element is heated to a temperature of about 200° C. or less during the reaction cycle.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the capacitor element to one or more additional reaction cycles that include contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous precursor compound.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte includes a layer formed from a dispersion of conductive polymer particles.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte includes a layer formed by solution phase polymerization.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode body includes tantalum and the dielectric includes tantalum pentoxide.
13. A method for forming a solid electrolytic capacitor element, the method comprising:
positioning a capacitor element within a reactor vessel, wherein the capacitor element comprises a sintered porous anode body and a dielectric overlying the anode body;
applying a solid electrolyte over the dielectric; and
forming a barrier film on the capacitor element by a vapor deposition process, the process including subjecting the capacitor element to a reaction cycle that includes contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous precursor compound that bonds to the solid electrolyte.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the vapor deposition process includes atomic layer deposition, molecular layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, or a combination thereof.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein precursor compound includes a polyarylene.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polyarylene has the following general structure:
wherein,
R 1 is alkyl, alkenyl, halo, or haloalkyl; and
R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, halo, or haloalkyl, wherein one or more of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , or R 6 are optionally bonded with a second polyarylene ring structure to form a dimer.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polyarylene is 1,4-dimethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethylbenzene, 1,2-dimethylbenzene, toluene, 4-methyl styrene, 3-methylstyrene, 2-methylstyrene, 1,4-divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylbenzene, 1,2-divinylbenzene, chlorinated polyarylene, [2,2]paracylcophane, or a combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reaction cycle further comprises contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous co-reactant.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the co-reactant includes a fluorohydrocarbon compound.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the capacitor element is heated to a temperature of about 200° C. or less during the reaction cycle.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising subjecting the capacitor element to one or more additional reaction cycles that include contacting the capacitor element with a gaseous precursor compound.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the solid electrolyte includes a layer formed from a dispersion of conductive polymer particles.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the solid electrolyte includes a layer formed by solution phase polymerization.
24. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anode body includes tantalum and the dielectric includes tantalum pentoxide.