San Antonio, TX. AVX Corp., a manufacturer and supplier of electronic components and interconnects as well as sensor, control, and antenna solutions, chose APEC March 4-8 in San Antonio to present its latest lines of capacitors, including supercapacitors, power-film capacitors, and a new case style for its multianode, ultralow-ESR tantalum capacitors. The company also touted MLCCs for space and satellite communications applications.
The new SCC Series cylindrical, electrochemical, double-layer supercapacitors, rated for 2.7 V, deliver capacitance values from 1 F to 3,000 F, low ESR (from 0.16 mΩ to 200 mΩ at 1,000 kHz), low leakage (6 µA to 5,800 µA), high energy density (1.2 to 5.6 Wh/kg), and long lifetime performance (50,000+ cycles). Available in a range of case sizes with diameters spanning 6.3 mm to 60 mm, case lengths spanning 12 mm to 165 mm, and either radial, solder pin, or cylindrical leads, the SCC Series introduces the industry’s smallest 1-F/2.7-V supercapacitor to market, the company said. SCC Series supercapacitors are rated for use in operating temperatures spanning -40°C to +65°C (or, with voltage derated to 2.3V per cell, -40°C to +85°C).
SCM Series supercapacitor modules were also on display—they feature two voltage ratings—5 V and 5.4 V—and exhibit capacitance values of 0.47 F to 7.5 F (±20% tolerance), low ESR (4 mΩ to 300 mΩ at 1,000 kHz), low leakage (2 µA to 1,000 µA), high energy density (1 to 5.6 Wh/kg), and long lifetime performance (50,000+ cycles). SCM Series supercapacitor modules are rated for use in operating temperatures spanning -40°C to +65°C at 5.0 to 5.4 V balanced, or, with voltage de-rated to 3.9 to 4.6 V per cell, -40°C to +85°C balanced. Unbalanced options are also available. Packaged in plastic or shrink-wrapped cases spanning 14 mm to 24 mm in length with vertical or horizontal radial leads, the series is compatible with hand, reflow, and wave soldering so long as appropriate precautions are enacted, and is both lead-free compatible and RoHS compliance compatible. All SCM Series parts are tested and qualified for life cycle, high temperature load-life, temperature and humidity characteristics, and vibration resistance, and are shipped in bulk packaging. Current lead-time for the series is four to eight weeks, and custom modules are available upon request.
Both the SCC and SCM supercapacitors can help implement reliable hold-up, energy-harvesting, and pulse-power solutions and can be used alone or in conjunction with primary or secondary batteries to provide extended backup time, longer battery life, and instantaneous pulse power. Applications include uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), wireless alarms, remote meters, global systems mobile (GSM) and galvanic skin response (GSR) transmissions, camera flash systems, scanners, toys, and games. Both series are lead-free-compatible and RoHS-compliance-compatible. They are compatible with hand, reflow, and wave soldering so long as appropriate precautions are enacted. All parts in the series are tested and qualified for life cycle, high temperature load-life, temperature and humidity characteristics, and vibration resistance, and are shipped in bulk packaging. Current lead-time for the series is four to eight weeks
AVX also chose APEC to debut its FHC1 and FHC2 Series power film capacitors, designed for electric and hybrid electric vehicle (EV/HEV) applications. Exhibiting high ripple current capabilities, high dielectric strength in operating conditions up to 115°C, low inductance, low ESR, and a low thermal footprint, the new FHC Series capacitors deliver high-reliability performance that complements and protects high-power-density inverter products. Engineered for use in the DC-link circuits between EV/HEV rectifiers and inverters, FHC Series capacitors smooth and filter current and voltage variations and prevent ripple currents from reaching and damaging the power source, which makes them suitable for use in conjunction with EV and HEV IGBT modules, as well as medium-sized motor drives, the company said.
The capacitors include segmented, dry-wound/non-oil-filled, metallized polypropylene, which features controlled self-healing capabilities to ensure soft end-of-life performance (a gradual loss of capacitance, rather than a catastrophic failure mode). They are based on several elementary wound bobbins with reinforced solder points on specific bus-bar offerings. Benefits of this design include high RMS current and repartition capabilities, reduced thermal expansion constraints, high productivity, internal design flexibility, and modularity in three dimensions, the company said. Compliant with EC 61071-1, IEC 61071-2, AEC-Q200, and RoHS, FHC Series capacitors are rated for lifetimes of up to 15,000 hours and operating temperatures spanning -40°C to 105°C (and, for brief durations, up to 115°C).
Capacitors in the FHC1 Series measure 140 x 72 x 50 mm and are available with standard capacitance values and voltage ratings spanning 140 μF to 300 μF and 450 to 900 VDC. Capacitors in the FHC2 Series measure 237 x 72 x 50 mm and are available with standard capacitance values and voltage ratings spanning 260 μF to 900 μF and 410 to 900 VDC. Additionally, custom values spanning 100 μF to 1.5 mF and 300 to 1,400 VDC are available upon request. Capacitors in both series are enclosed in unpainted, rectangular, resin-filled plastic cases with flat copper tinned terminals by default, but aluminum cases are available upon request, as are thermocouples and additional values and bus-bar designs.
tantalum capacitors
AVX also said it has added a new “U” case (EIA Metric 7361-43) to its TRM Professional Series multianode, ultralow-ESR tantalum capacitors, extending the range with several new ratings designed to address high-reliability automotive, military, medical, aerospace, and industrial applications. These volumetrically efficient surface-mount, J-lead capacitors are now available in “U” case, “E” case (EIA Metric 7343-43), and “D” case (EIA Metric 7343-31); meet the requirements of AEC-Q200; offer a wide range of capacitance values and voltage ratings spanning 4.7 to 1,500 µF and 2.5 to 50 V; and achieve twice the reliability of TPM Commercial Series tantalum capacitors, which also feature the new “U” case size. The TRM Series has a base failure rate of 0.5% per 1,000 hours at 85°C and rated voltage (VR) with 0.1-Ω/V series impedance, in addition to a 25% lower DCL limit (0.0075 CV), high volumetric efficiency, and ultralow ESR values as low as 18 mΩ at 100 kHz.
In addition, AVX said it is the first—and currently only—company to offer space-level, X7R base-metal-electrode (BME) MLCCs with M and T reliability levels approved to the Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA’s) MIL-PRF-32535 specification. Exhibiting high CV capabilities superior to those of precious metal electrode (PME) MLCCs, which have long been the standard for the global aerospace industry, AVX’s space-level, X7R BME MLCCs deliver a 39-fold increase in capacitance compared with standard, 100-V, 1812, MIL-PRF-123 and MIL-PRF-55681 MLCCs. The series also features AVX’s patented FLEXITERM termination technology, which allows for more board flexure than standard terminations, providing protection against thermal and mechanical stresses both during assembly and throughout component lifetimes and enabling the safe, reliable employment of large case sizes. The series is tested to the DLA’s MIL-PRF-32535 specifications and is currently available in seven case sizes spanning 0402 to 2220 and rated for 16 to 100 V and 2.2 nF to 22 μF. Applications for the series include I/O filtering and bulk storage in switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) within space and satellite communications and launchers, military aircraft, and defense, weapons, and radar systems.
Finally, AVX highlighted its previously reported acquisition of antenna company Ethertronics earlier this year. Ethertronics manufactures passive and active Isolated Magnetic Dipole (IMD) antenna systems for wireless applications across the mobile phone, Wi-Fi, defense, aerospace, medical, and IoT markets. The company said IMD antennas are efficient, insensitive to changes in ground planes and local interference, and have a unique design that offers users the flexibility to tune for multiple frequencies in confined spaces and to actively tune for both radiation pattern coverage and frequency.
