Negative capacitance refers to a phenomenon in which the capacitance of a material or system is reduced below its original value. This can occur when a material is subjected to a strong electric field, causing a decrease in the dielectric constant and therefore a decrease in capacitance.
Positive capacitance is the traditional form of capacitance where the capacitance increases as the voltage increases. Negative capacitance, on the other hand, occurs when the capacitance decreases with increasing voltage. This is due to the unique properties of certain materials that exhibit negative capacitance.
Negative capacitance has potential applications in various electronic devices, such as transistors and memory cells. It can also be used to improve the energy efficiency and performance of integrated circuits, as it allows for a significant reduction in power consumption.
Negative capacitance can be measured using various techniques, including impedance spectroscopy and capacitance-voltage measurements. These methods involve applying an electric field across the material and measuring the resulting changes in capacitance.
One of the main challenges in utilizing negative capacitance in practical devices is finding suitable materials that exhibit this phenomenon at room temperature. Another challenge is designing and fabricating devices that can effectively harness and utilize the negative capacitance effect. Additionally, there may be issues with stability and reliability of devices using negative capacitance, which need to be addressed for widespread implementation.