New polymer film type capacitor for high frequency high voltage applications

This paper describes the development of a new polymer film capacitor construction for high alternating voltage applications such as current limiting in solid state lighting at frequencies from 20 KHz to 70 KHz. This construction has higher temperature handling capabilities as well as greater capacitance stability in application than capacitors in common practice for these applications. The capacitor construction consists of polypropylene film concentrically wound with electrodes pattern metallized on both sides of polyethylene terepthalate film. Several features of this hybrid metallized polymer film capacitor and the mechanisms for improved aging characteristics are discussed. Possible failure or wearout mechanisms are proposed for capacitors used in high frequency resonant applications with mathematical models for life expectancies. These mechanisms and models are confirmed with accelerated test data