Monolithic ceramic capacitor with barium titinate dielectric curie point optimized for active implantable medical devices operating at 37° c.

Abstract

A feedthrough filter capacitor assembly for use in active implantable medical devices and a related process for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic capacitor utilizing dielectric materials having a dielectric constant greater than 7000, and preferably in the range of 8500 to 22,000. In the manufacture of the monolithic ceramic capacitor, one or more Curie point shifters and/or other dopants are added to the dielectric material to optimize the dielectric constant at the human body temperature of 37° C. For manufacturing purposes, dopants may be added to the dielectric material to broaden the Curie point peak or point of maximum dielectric constant thereof. The effect is that when such capacitors and terminal assemblies are utilized in a high-voltage defibrillator circuit of an implantable medical device, the dielectric material is optimized so that during the delivery of high-voltage electrical energy, capacitance value of the capacitor drops substantially.