High-permittivity ceramic dielectrics for tuning transmission in power electronic converters

The fabrication and application of high-permittivity ceramic materials for use in power electronic circuits are investigated. The ability to manufacture materials with a wide range of epsilon /sub r/ values and the influence of dielectric permittivity on the circuit behaviour of a converter employing planar connections are studied. It is shown conclusively that the circuit behavior of a power electronic circuit can be modified by only varying the properties of the materials used for supporting the connections. This mechanism can be used to improve the power transmission characteristics of the connections. Methods are described whereby the dielectric properties of BaTiO/sub 3/-based materials can be varied over a very wide range of 4>