Rugged SMD tantalum capacitors from AVX target harsh environments up to 200degC

The capacitors are initially available in two E-case sizes: E 220F rated at 10V for 3V rail application at 200°C and E 100F rated at 16V for 5V rail application at 200°C. Key features of the THJ 200C SMD tantalum capacitors include a small surface mount package that lends itself to fast pick and place assembly techniques and a negative temperature coefficient that ensures no localized heating occurs in the capacitor, thus avoiding thermal runaway and ultimately destruction or operational degradation of the device.



Gold plated termination for hybrid assembly is provided as conventional tin/tin-lead finished terminations have melting points that are too low for reliable operation at 200degC. Long life is also a key attribute with leakage current after 1000 hours operation at 200degC still less than 1mA. All THJ 200C capacitors are designed to withstand a 3x reflow soldering process at 260degC and are RoHS compatible.



In oil and gas applications the THJ 200C SMD tantalum capacitors are ideal for use in dc/dc converters found in drilling heads that are subjected to rising ambient temperature with depth. Enabling companies to enhance their usage of electronics up to higher temperatures leads to higher profit as deeper situated commodities are more easily and cheaply accessed. In these applications the 16V capacitor is suitable for 5V analogue circuits, while the 10V capacitor is used for 2.5V and 3.3V digital circuits.



Typical aerospace and defense applications include high temperature engine and turbo fan control as well as control and sensing electronics placed near the outer shells of rockets and space shuttles. A key requirement here is reliability under harsh conditions.



Automotive applications require reliability and long life at elevated temperature levels. High capacitance devices rated at 16V are ideal for use in a variety of mechanisms such as in the latest generation of smaller gearboxes and embedded alternators.



According to Technical Marketing Manager, Tomas Zednicek: “These 200°C capacitors currently have no direct surface-mount competition and their small size has the advantage of enabling oil drilling heads to be either miniaturized or equipped with advanced features. Further, by eliminating the need for through-hole technology in the end product with the benefits of full automation manufacturers are able to reduce manufacturing costs and increase reliability.”