Chip capacitors meet AEC-Q200 requirements

These ensure stable performance at 85°C, 85% relative humidity, and rated voltage for up to 1,000 hours.

Based on AVX’s field-proven TCQ Series automotive polymer capacitors, the new TCO Series chip capacitors are manufactured in an IATF-16949-certified facility and feature robust J-lead constructions comprised of tantalum anodes, tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅) dielectrics, and conductive polymer electrodes that exhibit a benign failure mode under recommended use conditions.

The series also exhibits low DCL (0.1CV) and basic reliability of 1% per 1,000 hours at 85°C and rated voltage with 0.1Ω/V series impedance and 60% confidence, and is ideally suited for use in high-temperature, low- and medium-power automotive, industrial, and telecommunications applications.  

These capacitors are currently available as D-case (EIA Metric 7343-31) components rated MSL 3 per J-STD-020 and for 10µF ±20% tolerance, 50VDC at 105°C, a maximum of 50µA DCL, 150mΩ maximum ESR at 100kHz, and operating temperatures extending from -55°C to +150°C, but several other codes are actively in development.

They are also RoHS compliant, lead-free compatible, and capable of withstanding three reflow cycles at 260°C. Ideal applications for the series include automotive cabin control, infotainment, and comfort systems; body electronics that manage safety, power management, and diagnostic systems; and aftermarket electronics such as dash cams, radar detectors, navigation systems, subwoofers, amplifiers, and headrest monitors; as well as DC/DC converters and coupling/decoupling circuits in industrial and telecommunications equipment.

“The new TCO Series high-temperature, automotive-grade polymer chip capacitors are based on our TCQ Series automotive polymer capacitors, which now have more than five years of field-proven success,” said Allen Mayar, AVX Electrolytic Capacitors global product manager. “Both polymer capacitor series satisfy the stringent AEC-Q200 requirements for automotive use thanks to superior material selections, design decisions, and manufacturing processes, and the new TCO Series offers the additional benefit of 150°C operation at category voltage.”  

TCO Series capacitors are shipped on seven- or 13-inch pure tin reels for automated assembly and lead-time for the series is currently 20 weeks.