Tunable capacitors using fluid dielectrics

Abstract

Capacitors (10,20,40,50,70,80) having a fluid dielectric material that is transported or undergoes a phase change are disclosed. The dielectric medium change results in a change in the total dielectric constant of the material between the electrodes (12, 14, 72, 74, 81, 82), thus changing the capacitance of the capacitors. Transporting or phase changing the dielectric fluids into and out of a the electric field of the capacitor, changes the effective dielectric constant and the capacitance of the capacitor.

Description

field of invention [0001] The present invention is directed to variable capacitors. Specifically, the present invention utilizes fluid dielectrics as dielectric materials for capacitors. When the fluid displaces or changes phase, the effective and total capacitance of the capacitor changes. Background of the invention [0002] Different kinds of variable capacitors have been used in the electronics industry, including physical variable capacitors. Misaligning the two plates of a capacitor to adjust the effective area between the plates or changing the distance between the plates can be used to change the capacitance of the capacitor. Such capacitors can have a large capacitance adjustment range, but they often require a driver to automatically control the adjustment. Other variable capacitors include the use of electroactive materials as dielectrics whose dielectric constant changes when a certain electric field is applied. These materials can be ferroelectric or paraele...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although the dielectric constants of these materials can change rapidly, they do so over a relatively small range

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