Date: 01/10/2012

World's thinnest electric double-layer capacitors from Murata

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is to start mass production of the DMF Series electric double-layer capacitors that features low resistance and high levels of power density. Murata claims that these capacitors are the world’s thinnest electric double-layer capacitors.

Murata to exhibit the DMF series in booth (8Hall 8F87) at CEATEC JAPAN 2012, which will be held at Makuhari Messe, Chiba Prefecture, between October 2 and 6, 2012.

Electric double-layer capacitors are capable of storing energy with physical adsorption of the ion on the surface of active carbon without using chemical reactions. This makes the devices able to semi-permanently repeat electrical charging and discharging in comparison with normal rechargeable batteries as well as able to be charged and discharged quickly. As they do not use lead or any other toxic substances, they conform to European Union’s RoHS.

Murata acquired this technology from Australia's CAP-XX Ltd.; the business partnership established in 2008 has resulted in Murata manufacturing the DME series of electric double-layer capacitors since December 2010.

These capacitors can be used as the power supplies for camera flashlights using high-intensity LEDs, and helps to improve the brightness of LED flashlights on digital cameras and smartphones.

Features:
1. Equivalent series resistance (ESR): 40m ohms to 90m ohms
2. Operating temperature range: -30 Deg C to +70 Deg C
3. 30% smaller than the DME series

Applications:
1. Auxiliary power source for LED flash units used in digital cameras, digital video cameras and cell phones
2. Peak output assistance to reduce battery load variations.(Restrains load variations in high-output communication (GSM) and audio output batteries)
3. Peak output assistance when operating compact smart meter motors
4. Peak output assistance for USB bus power
5. Combining the DMF capacitors with various power devices provides a life-cycle of 100,000 cycles or more and enables it to be used as a maintenance-free power storage element

Part Numbers:
Part Number Instantaneous Maximum Permissible Voltage Nominal Capacity ESR@1kHz Thickness (t)
DMF3J5R5P224M3DTA0 5.5 V 220 mF 90 mOhm 1.8 mm ± 0.2 mm
DMF3R5R5L334M3DTA0 5.5 V 330 mF 60 mOhm 2.5 mm ± 0.2 mm
DMF3Z5R5H474M3DTA0 5.5 V 470 mF 40 mOhm 3.2 mm ± 0.2 mm

Note: The capacity line-up is scheduled to be expanded to 1F in the future.

Mass production is to begin at the Fukui Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. from October 2012 (400,000 units per month). The price of each sample is 300 yen.

Source: Murata