Many technological applications require tools to maintain a stable micrometer distance between two surfaces. The requirements are more stringent if it is necessary to ensure electrical insulation between surfaces and also if the thermal insulation must also be met. Dielectric microspacers (DMS) represent a microtechnology capable of meeting all these requirements. The DMS were developed in the ProME3ThE2US2 FET project to separate two electrodes of an innovative high temperature solar cell prototype. DMS technology can be integrated into the broader group of thermionic energy converters (TECs), therefore DMS can be successfully applied to TECs, thus solving a technical problem faced in the last 50 years only with palliative solutions. The potentialities connected to DMS technological innovation are scalability, robustness, high resolution, large area fabrication, thermal resistance and stability, high electrical and thermal resistance, uniformity of physical properties, versatility of the arrangement on the surface and very precise control of the separation distance.

Thematic Area: Energy, ICT
Financing Body: EU - H2020
Start year: 2017
End year: 2018
Call: H2020 FET-OPEN LAUNCHPAD
Acronym: DMS
Title: Dielectric MicroSpacer Technology
Budget ISM (k€): 58
ISM Role: PI and Project Coordinator
ISM Referent: Daniele M. Trucchi
Other relevant roles: Marco Girolami (WP leader)
Other ISM Staff involved: Alessandro Bellucci, Matteo Mastellone
Website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/754568
Laboratory: DiaTHEMA Lab