Research on Inner Polar Phase effects for high frequency absorbing materials

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Henning Heuer
• Subject Area: Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 419162977

Within this project, an interdisciplinary team of Ukrainian and German scientists will work together to search on dielectric absorption effects based on materials with inner polar phase that could be used as future electromagnetic (EM) shielding for physical information security and interference suppression needed for extended electromagnetic communication (e.g. Internet of Things). The main approach is research of depositable composite materials and ceramics with inner polar phase (IPP) also known as internal polarity and study the potential for high frequency EM radiation absorption. The inner polar phase loss mechanism in dielectric materials have been investigated by Poplavko Y. and Tatarchuk D (to be involved as Mercator fellow) since 1990. The main findings are that special dielectric materials show unexpectedly high losses that could not be explained by any known loss mechanisms in the scientific literature. During this project the theory of EM waves absorption by complex materials on the extra high, super high and high frequencies will be generalized and specifics for different frequency bands will be detailed. The actual theory to explain this effect is the presence of an IPP in special materials e.g. crystals and ceramics (e.g. PZT ceramics, SrBaTiO3). The main advantage of IPP-Materials for shielding is the absence of energy reflection as occurs in metallic based shielding’s. The second scope of the project is technological research of preparing coatings with homogeneous absorbing properties on technical surfaces from 1 to 1000 cm2. To study the absorbing properties a High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) spectroscopy system will be adapted and developed for characterization of IPP-Materials. Materials developed in the project could be used to shield devices and separate electronic parts against the influence of HF EM field, in research centers for informational safety, bank safety (NFC chip cards) and for the environmental and health safety from the harmful effects of EM radiation of industrial devices. Those materials could be a basis for creating shielding coatings with the absorption coefficient managed by outer electrical or magnetic fields. In this project, Tatarchuk’s group in Kyiv will focus as Mercator fellow on research of inner polar phase materials in theory and performing mathematical modelling of new material compositions. Heuer’s group at TU Dresden is focused on electronic technology research, especially materials and experimental validation. In the field of characterization based on HFEC Spectroscopy Heuer’s group have developed and patented series of non-destructive materials testing devices, which are based on physics of HFEC and operate on frequency range of 100kHz up to 100 MHz. These devices will be adapted and a physical model and algorithm for IPP-Material characterization and SHF behavior prediction will be developed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants