Low loss thin-film metal inductors with high current capability for power supply circuits

• 30 percent lower DC resistance than for existing types 
• Lower losses and higher efficiency over a broad output current range

TDK Corporation presents the new TFM160808ALC thin-film inductor for power supply circuits, which features a maximum DC resistance of 62 mΩ that is 30 percent lower than for existing types (e.g. TFM160808ALM, 0.47 μH). The new type, whose compact dimensions are just 1.6 mm x 0.8 mm x 0.8 mm, also offers a high rated current of 2.6 A and an inductance of 0.47 μH. In addition, thanks to the newly developed metal core the thin-film inductor features lower losses. As a result, the component’s efficiency over a broad output current range of 10 mA to 2.5 A is higher than that of existing types and can improve the efficiency of DC-DC converter power supplies by nearly 1 percent. Mass production of the TFM160808ALC will commence in January 2017.

The required power supply voltage for smartphones and tablet PCs has risen in order to support their increasing multifunctionality, and with this, the number of inductors needed in power supply circuits is likewise growing. These components must be small in size, support a high current levels and, particularly important for smartphones and other battery-powered devices, have low losses. TDK has leveraged its innovative thin-film technology developed for HDD heads with advanced material technologies for passive components to create a metal material for compact components with optimized low losses and high current capabilities.

In the future, TDK will expand its lineup of thin-film inductors for power supply circuits to include components with footprints of 2.0 mm x 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm x 1.25 mm, making the series suitable for a wider variety of equipment designs. 

Main applications

• Smartphones and tablet PCs
• HDDs, SSDs, digital still and video cameras, portable game consoles, compact power supply modules, etc.

Main features and benefits

• 30 percent lower DC resistance than for existing types
• Compact dimensions of 1.6 mm x 0.8 mm x 0.8 mm
• Lower losses and higher efficiency over a broad output current range for the improvement of power supply efficiency.

Key data

* Measurement frequency 1 MHz
** Current level at which the product surface temperature rises by up to 40 K