In the face of multiple global challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and environmental pollution, sustainable and green technologies have become crucial engines for driving social progress and economic growth. In this transformative process, power devices play a vital role as the core technology for energy efficiency improvement and energy management. This article will introduce the development needs of sustainable and green technologies, and the product characteristics of power devices produced by Yageo and its subsidiaries Kemet and Pulse.
Sustainable and green technologies that are receiving increasing attention
The development of sustainable and green technologies has received widespread attention in recent years, primarily due to global concerns over climate change, environmental pollution, and resource scarcity. This field's development first requires the adoption of clean energy technologies, such as solar power, wind power, and energy storage technologies, as well as the use of electric transportation, including electric vehicles (EVs) and electric public transport. It also emphasizes the circular economy, focusing on resource recycling and reuse, and the use of renewable materials. In the areas of building and urban development, the goal is to promote green buildings and smart cities. In the agriculture and food technology sector, the focus is on the development of precision agriculture technologies and alternative proteins.
As many governments around the world promote the development of green technologies through legislation and incentives, such as carbon trading, renewable energy subsidies, and regulations banning high-pollution technologies, more and more companies are recognizing the importance of sustainable development for their long-term growth. These companies are investing in green technologies and setting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Moreover, with the rise of environmental awareness among consumers, market demand for green products and services, including eco-friendly appliances, low-emission vehicles, and sustainable fashion, is increasing. In addition, since climate change and environmental protection are global issues, international organizations, intergovernmental agreements (such as the Paris Agreement), and cross-border cooperation play a crucial role in driving the development of green technologies and market demand. Sustainable and green technologies are moving from the periphery to the mainstream, becoming key tools in addressing global environmental challenges. With technological advances, policy support, and growing market demand, this field will continue to develop rapidly.
Yageo and its subsidiaries, including Kemet and Pulse, have introduced numerous high-stability and high-efficiency products that meet the demands of sustainable and green technologies, which can assist customers in developing sustainable electronic products that meet market needs.
High stability and high efficiency polymer capacitors and film capacitors
Polymer electrolytic capacitors exhibit stable capacitance and excellent volumetric efficiency under various application conditions, making them an ideal choice for use cases requiring consistent capacitance in a small area. According to market analysis by WCTS Statistics, the global polymer capacitor market is valued at approximately $1.8 billion, and as performance demands increase, the growth of tantalum polymers is being driven. Polymer technology is being adopted in many new applications, with manganese dioxide (MnO2) technology already proven in high-reliability applications.
KEMET is one of the market leaders in polymer capacitor technology. KEMET's organic capacitors are solid electrolytic devices constructed with a conductive polymer cathode, offering optimized performance across a wide range of applications. KEMET’s product portfolio combines extremely low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and improved high-frequency capacitance retention with a broad range of sizes, providing support to designers through innovation and technology.
KEMET's SMD polymer solutions for general usage market segments such as consumer, computing, telecommunications, and industrial markets include the KO-CAP, Neo-CAP, and AO-CAP series. These solid electrolytic capacitors, utilizing a conductive polymer cathode, offer very low ESR and improved capacitance retention at high frequencies and in benign failure modes.
This technology combines the low ESR capability of an MLCC, the high capacitance of aluminum electrolytic capacitors, and the volumetric efficiency of tantalum manganese dioxide capacitors into a single surface-mount package. Unlike liquid electrolyte-based capacitors, KO-CAP capacitors offer longer operational life and higher ripple current capability. KEMET's polymer capacitors are environmentally friendly, lead-free, and halogen-free molding compound, and comply with RoHS standards.
On the other hand, film capacitors are capacitors that use metallized film or metal foil as electrodes and plastic film (such as polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, etc.) as the dielectric. They feature high stability, low loss, high insulation resistance, self-healing properties, high voltage resistance, and long life. These capacitors are used in power filtering, resonant circuits, motor start and run, coupling and decoupling in electronic circuits, and pulse circuits. Film capacitors, with their excellent electrical performance and diverse application scenarios, are essential components in modern electronic devices.
KEMET’s film capacitors offer low ESR, allowing for higher ripple current ratings without sacrificing capacitance. The high rated voltage of the film is well-suited for DC link and high-power applications, while the combination of low ESR, high efficient constant voltage (CV), and high rated voltage is particularly useful for energy storage and EMI filtering.
KEMET's film capacitors are applicable to electric vehicle powertrains and onboard technologies, alternative energy and industrial converters. With a broad product portfolio, they meet the demanding needs of applications, particularly hybrid and electric vehicles, EV charging infrastructure, alternative energy, power density, and energy efficiency, which will be the biggest drivers of growth.
Providing a full range of power magnetic components for switch-mode power supply applications
In 2018, Yageo acquired Pulse Electronics. Pulse's Power PBU has been designing and manufacturing power magnetic components for over 50 years, with a rich history of product and manufacturing innovation, a diverse patent portfolio, and world-class automated assembly and testing capabilities. This enables Pulse to rapidly develop and produce cost-effective, high-quality, robust, and reliable components.
Pulse provides a full range of power magnetic components for switch-mode power supply applications, including power inductors, power transformers, isolation transformers, current sensing magnetic components, and common mode chokes in through-hole, surface mount, and pin-in-paste terminations. In addition to Pulse's extensive product line, Pulse also designs and manufactures custom and application-specific magnetic solutions for major OEM, EMS, and distribution partners.
Pulse Power PBU is committed to achieving device-level efficiency testing through mature design and manufacturing expertise, 3D mechanical modeling, FEM technology, and collaboration with numerous safety agency engineers. With in-house AEC-Q200 stress testing and ISO and IATF-certified production facilities, along with localized technical support from experienced product marketing and field application engineers, Pulse's power magnetic components are ubiquitous, from small consumer devices to large utilities. Pulse's In-Vehicle Network (IVN) product portfolio can be applied to vehicle networking, battery management, RF/EMC/EMI products, and automotive products.
Power bead inductors are typically used in high-current multiphase voltage regulators, powering processors, memory modules, and high-current ASICs and FPGAs in a wide range of applications, including servers, graphics cards, storage, and data centers. In multiphase architectures, the current is broken into parallel paths, and each path's operation (turn on/off) is interleaved, resulting in a combined ripple current at the output that is much smaller than the ripple current of each individual path. This ripple cancellation allows the use of very small inductance values (50-300nH) in each path, which means the power supply can respond faster to changes in load (transient response) compared to a single-phase implementation.
The key parameters when selecting a power inductor include the inductance value, which should be based on the circuit application requirements, and ensuring that the component does not overheat and meets the circuit's rated current requirements. Saturation current ensures that the component does not saturate at peak application currents, and AC core and AC conductor losses can be calculated to verify thermal and efficiency performance.
Pulse's power inductors utilize various product technologies, including power beads, molded inductors, composite inductors, round wire coils, drum cores, flat wire, planar inductors, and toroidal inductors. Product ranges span from a few mA to 150Apk, with surface mount and through-hole configurations from 20nH to 10mH.
High precision, low noise, high pressure resistance, and high stability thin film resistors
Thin film resistors are a type of resistor that uses thin film materials (such as carbon film, metal film, metal oxide film, etc.) as the resistive element. They are characterized by high precision, low temperature coefficient, low noise, high stability, and high voltage resistance. These features make thin film resistors widely used in precision measurement devices, filter circuits, voltage dividers, potentiometers, audio equipment, and sensor circuits. Due to their excellent electrical performance and broad application scenarios, thin film resistors play an important role in modern electronic technology.
Yageo's RP series, available in 0402, 0603, 0805, and 1206 case sizes, supports an operating temperature range of -55°C to 155°C, with a rated power range from 1/16W to 1/4W, a resistance range of 10Ω to 1.5MΩ, and a rated working voltage of 50V to 200V. These resistors are Pb-free, RoHS-compliant, and are ideal for high-precision applications. They feature excellent sulfur resistance, a moisture sensitivity level of MSL 1, and high reliability for both components and equipment.
The thin film, high-moisture-resistant RP series is suitable for applications requiring precise voltage and current monitoring and enhanced moisture resistance, such as OBC (On-Board Chargers), ECU (Electronic Control Units), BMS (Battery Management Systems), and DC/DC converters. The series offers advantages like laser-trimming for resistance and current path, production efficiency, and double power supply availability. It also boasts moisture resistance, sulfur resistance, high precision, and high stability, with long-term stability verified by an 8,000-hour lifespan test. The series supports high humidity environments, and the epoxy overcoat combined with a special passivation design forms a moisture barrier that prevents moisture ingress from the outside. This protective layer helps the RP series maintain high resistance stability even in harsh environments.
The RP thin film resistors comply with AEC-Q200 standards and offer excellent resistance to sulfur-containing and high humidity environments. With characteristics such as high precision, good stability, low Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR), and low electrical noise, these resistors are suitable for applications in automotive electronics, industrial and medical equipment, test and measurement equipment, and telecommunications.
Conclusion
Whether it’s the efficient conversion of clean energy sources such as solar and wind power, or the energy management of electric vehicles and smart grids, power devices are indispensable in supporting and realizing these green technology goals. As the demand for sustainability continues to grow, the performance, efficiency, and reliability of power devices are facing higher requirements, driving technological innovation and the expansion of applications in this field. The power devices produced by Yageo, Kemet, and Pulse feature comprehensive product lines, high quality, high efficiency, and high stability, which will be able to meet the demands of sustainable and green technology.
