Murata's world's smallest monolithic ceramic capacitor

CEATEC JAPAN 2012, KYOTO, JAPAN: Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd has developed the world's smallest 0201 < JIS > size (0.25 mm x 0.125 mm)* monolithic ceramic capacitor – a first in the industry. The volume of this new capacitor is approximately 25 percent of the 0402 < JIS > size (0.4 mm x 0.2 mm), the predominant monolithic ceramic capacitor presently used in some smartphones.

Murata will be exhibiting this innovative capacitor at their booth in "CEATEC JAPAN 2012", which will be held from October 2.

Monolithic ceramic capacitors are assembled into all kinds of electronic devices and it is said that 400 to 500 of them are used in the latest smartphones. 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, which 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.

Murata has been working on research and development of ceramic capacitors since the company's founding in 1944 and has been building up the company's original element technologies in raw materials, manufacturing processes, manufacturing technologies, and so on. Compact mobile device module manufacturers started to extensively use the world's first 0402 < JIS > size monolithic ceramic capacitors that Murata introduced into the market in 2004. Today, its application has expanded to the main body of the smartphone.

"Murata has successfully developed the 0201 < JIS > size monolithic ceramic capacitors by combining element technologies the company has built up over the years," says Yukio Hamaji, executive VP of Murata Manufacturing. "As a leading ceramic capacitor vendor, we will continue to pursue development of ultra-small ceramic capacitors with larger capacitance and lead the electronics industry even in overall services including product quality and supply framework."

The target applications assume various modules for compact mobile devices. Time of sample shipment is planning end of fiscal 2013.

Cree intros 150-mm 4HN SiC epitaxial wafers

DURHAM, USA: Cree Inc. announced the availability of high quality, low micropipe 150-mm 4H n-type silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial wafers. Cree continues to lead the SiC materials marketplace in driving to larger diameters and this latest advancement lowers device cost and enables adoption for customers with existing 150-mm diameter device processing lines. 150-mm epitaxial wafers with highly uniform epitaxial layers as thick as 100 microns are available for immediate purchase.

SiC is a high-performance semiconductor material used in the production of a broad range of lighting, power and communication components, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), power switching devices and RF power transistors for wireless communications. 150-mm diameter single crystal SiC substrates enable cost reductions and increased throughput, while bolstering the continued growth of the SiC industry.

“Cree’s ability to deliver high volumes of 100-mm epitaxial wafers is unrivaled in the SiC industry and our latest 150-mm technology continues to raise the standards for SiC wafers,” said Dr. Vijay Balakrishna, Cree materials product manager. “Our vertically integrated approach assures customers of a complete solution for high quality 150-mm SiC epitaxial wafers, providing industry leaders within the power electronics market the stable supply they demand.”

150-mm 4H n-type SiC epitaxial wafers are available for immediate purchase in limited quantities.