Murata's Chip Inductor Is Smaller Than Ever
Japanese firm Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has developed what it says is the world's smallest chip inductor.
The device measures a mere 0.25 x 0.125 mm ; this size is also referred to as "0201 ".
The volume of this new chip inductor is approximately 25 percent of the 0402 size (0.4 x 0.2mm) chip, which is the predominant chip inductor presently used in market leading smartphones.
Along with capacitors and resistors, inductors are basic components in electronic circuits, and are also known as coils. Their main applications are in signal-type inductors and power supply-type inductors.
"High-frequency inductors" belong to the signal-type category and are inductors that are widely used in high-frequency circuits. In circuits that convey electrical signals, they are mainly used for impedance matching and as filters.
Power supply-type inductors play noise suppression, smoothing and other roles in circuits that supply power to semiconductors.
Murata will be exhibiting this chip inductor at its booth in "CEATEC JAPAN 2012", which will be held from October 2nd to 6th at Makuhari Messe 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba, Japan.
The number of electronic components used in compact mobile devices continues to increase to enable an increasingly greater number of features. The growth in size of mobile devices is not proportional to the increase in number of features. This means that volumetric efficiency is a key factor in product design.
This is driving a growing need for ultra-small components that can support high-density mounting. The 0402 size high-frequency chip inductors, which have been the smallest size commercialised so far, have seen increasing widespread adoption, especially for use in high-frequency modules.
However, in order to incorporate the market needs for a smaller size, Murata has developed its own micromachining technology to become the first company globally to produce prototypes of the 0201 size chip inductor.
"The new 0201 size product is a high-frequency inductor with ultra-miniature dimensions and a high performance, and they make full use of the circuit design technology that Murata has advanced in its own unique way," says Yukio Hamaji, Executive Vice President of Murata Manufacturing.
"In the months and years ahead, Murata plans to further reduce the size and improve the performance of high-frequency circuits and continue to stand in the vanguard of the electronics industry as a leader of high-frequency inductor technology," he concludes.
Murata plans to ship engineering sample before the end of fiscal 2013.
