Peak temperature attenuation film

A method of reducing peak temperatures in an electrode substrate of a capacitor due to transient thermal waves using a peak temperature attenuation system, comprising:

• a dielectric layer of a capacitor;
• a substrate forming an electrode of the capacitor, and configured to transmit thermal waves, the substrate having a substrate thermal effusivity and a substrate thickness;
• and
• a thin film coating disposed between the substrate and the dielectric layer, in physical and thermal contact with the substrate at an interface, the thin film coating having a film thermal effusivity less that the substrate thermal effusivity, and a substantially uniform film thickness on the order of a thermal wavelength of the thermal waves and less than the substrate thickness;
• wherein the capacitor discharges power to a resistive heater of an ice protection system,
• the method comprising:
• applying the thin film coating in physical and thermal contact with the electrically conductive substrate, between the substrate and the dielectric layer of the capacitor, at the interface such that reflections of the transient thermal waves across the interface interfere destructively with the transient thermal waves.