High-voltage MLCCs target EVs

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has introduced a lineup of five high-voltage multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), targeting on-board chargers (OBCs) in electric vehicles (EVs). These automotive MLCCs can withstand high-voltage applications, with working voltages of either 1,000 V or 630 V.

Samsung said vehicles use at least 3,000 to 10,000 MLCCs for applications such as powertrain, safety and infotainment and demand is growing in EV applications. OBCs have used film condensers to eliminate signal noise, but more recently the working voltage and frequency have increased to accelerate the charging speed, the company said, and as a result, the demand for MLCCs that offer high reliability in high-frequency environments has increased in EVs.

(Source: Samsung Electro-Mechanics)

The new automotive MLCCs have the durability to withstand high voltage and improve battery stability by eliminating high frequency noise in the battery system, Samsung said. EV battery systems use voltages of up to 400 V, and these high-voltage 630-V and 1,000-V MLCCs more than double the safety margin required to operate reliably in this environment, the company said.

The new high-voltage line includes three parts with a 1,000-V rating: 15-nF and 22-nF MLCCs in a 3225-package size (3.2 × 2.5 mm) and a 1-nF device in a 3216 size (3.2 × 1.6 mm). Rounding out the new portfolio are two devices with a 630-V rating, providing a 33-nF capacitance in a 3225 size and 10 nF in a 3216 size.

The high-stability operation even at high voltages is thanks to Samsung’s in-house raw materials development and a change in the structure of internal electrodes. The company also has improved the heat generation characteristics by applying a new process method.

Samsung said it is strengthening its lineup of high-value-added automotive products for high temperature, high pressure and high reliability, leveraging its expertise in the ultra-small and ultra-high-capacity MLCC segment. It is expanding its MLCC supply to global automotive component companies and automakers.