Low ESL and ESR Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors for Pulsed Power Applications

This paper presents a novel impregnation method for aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) using conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS to reduce the equivalent series resistance (ESR) in pulsed power applications. The capacitors are based on a previously developed low equivalent series inductance (ESL) winding geometry, ensuring minimal inductive contribution during high-current pulses. By pre-soaking the separator before winding the element, uniform polymer distribution is achieved within large winding geometries. The resulting samples exhibit stable capacitance behavior compared to classical HV-electrolyte capacitors and a factor of ten ESR reduction at 100 kHz. The proposed process enables improved high-frequency performance and offers a promising route for low-loss AECs in future highpower, fast-pulse systems.