Performance of porous capacitor electrodes

Abstract

Fabricating a capacitor includes forming conduits in a porous layer of material. The porous layer of material has particles that each includes a dielectric on a core. The formation of the conduits causes a portion of the dielectric to convert from a first phase to a second phase. The method also includes removing at least a portion of the second phase of the dielectric from the porous layer of material.

1 . A capacitor, comprising:
 an anode that includes an active layer having both pores and conduits, the conduits being arranged in a periodic two-dimensional pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The capacitor of  claim 1 , wherein the periodic two-dimensional pattern is a hexagonal pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The capacitor of  claim 1 , wherein an average width of the conduits is more than 2 times an average width of the pores. 
     
     
         4 . The capacitor of  claim 1 , wherein the conduits each has a length and the length of the conduits is straight. 
     
     
         5 . The capacitor of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer includes particles that each has a dielectric on a core and the pores are located between the particles. 
     
     
         6 . The capacitor of  claim 5 , wherein an electrolyte in the conduits is in direct physical contact with the dielectric on different particles. 
     
     
         7 . A capacitor, comprising:
 an anode that includes an active layer having both pores and conduits,
 the active layer including particles that each has a dielectric on a core with the pores being located between the particles, and 
 a medium in the conduits being in direct physical contact with the dielectric on different particles. 
   
     
     
         8 . The capacitor of  claim 7 , wherein an average width of the conduits is more than 2 times an average width of the pores. 
     
     
         9 . The capacitor of  claim 7 , wherein the conduits each has a length and the length of the conduits is straight. 
     
     
         10 . A capacitor, comprising:
 an anode that includes an active layer having both pores and conduits,
 the conduits extending from a surface of the active layer into the active layer, and 
 an average width of the conduits is more than 2 times an average width of the pores. 
   
     
     
         11 . The capacitor of  claim 10 , wherein an average width of the pores is less than 10 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The capacitor of  claim 1 , wherein the conduits each has a length and the length of the conduits is straight. 
     
     
         13 . A method of fabricating a capacitor, comprising:
 forming conduits in a porous layer of material,
 the porous layer of material having particles that each includes a dielectric on a core, 
 the formation of the conduits causing a portion of the dielectric to convert from a first phase to a second phase; and 
   removing at least a portion of the second phase of the dielectric from the porous layer of material.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first phase is boehmite and the second phase is alpha phase corundum oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the converted second phase is located in the conduits. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein removing the second phase of the dielectric includes removing the second phase from within the conduits. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein removing the second phase from within the conduits includes widening of the conduits. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: forming the dielectric in an interior of the conduits after removing the second phase from within the conduits. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dielectric formed in the interior of the conduits is the first phase of the dielectric. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the conduits includes laser drilling of the conduits.