Azerbaijani specialists took part in the creation of unique nanocapacitors

Azerbaijani scientists took part in an international study aimed at creating a new generation of highly energy-efficient nanocapacitors based on zirconium dioxide, which may find applications in micro- and nanoelectronics, medical technology, sensor systems, and the aerospace industry.

Specialists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia; Karaganda Industrial University in Temirtau, Kazakhstan; Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University in Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan; Dubna State University in Dubna, Russia; the Innovation and Digital Development Agency in Baku, Azerbaijan; the Low-Dimensional Materials Research Center at Khazar University in Baku, Azerbaijan; Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg, Russia; and the Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, Bulgaria took part in the creation and study of the properties of the new material.

The scientists succeeded in creating laboratory samples of miniature capacitors with extremely high specific capacitance, capable of operating at ultra-low voltage. The technology is based on new physical principles that make it possible to overcome one of the key problems of modern microelectronics — the effect of “tunneling leakage currents,” which occurs as the size of conventional capacitors is reduced.

The researchers used nanomaterials based on zirconium dioxide, which possess the properties of so-called smart materials. In the new design, traditional carbon electrodes were replaced with a dielectric that, thanks to quantum effects, is capable of conducting current. This made it possible to create a nanopowder with a special structure and extremely high sensitivity.

According to the scientists, the development is promising not only for energy storage devices, but also for the creation of highly sensitive sensors capable of detecting even individual molecules. In addition, the materials are biocompatible, highly manufacturable, and relatively inexpensive to produce.

The researchers believe that the technology could be further developed in the fields of bionanoengineering, radiation-resistant electronics, and critical technologies, including systems capable of operating under high temperatures and strong neutron fields.