On September 10, Samsung announced that it will commence mass production of coupled power inductors, which integrate two power inductors into a single chip. The company aims to penetrate the market by expanding its high-end product line-up.
Power inductors, often referred to as the “second MLCC,” serve as essential electronic components used in power circuits. They convert electricity (power) from batteries into the power required by semiconductors and ensure a stable supply of current.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics has developed two types of coupled power inductors with low resistance value (a characteristic that hinders the flow of current): the 2016 size (2.0 mm wide and 1.6 mm long) and the 2218 size (2.2 mm wide and 1.8 mm long).
These products are mounted near the CPU (central processing unit), which serves as the brain of a PC, to provide stable current to the CPU. In particular, the higher the performance of the CPU, the more current it uses, so a power inductor with low power loss is required.
Power inductors consume electrical energy based on the resistance value of the coils wound inside. The higher the resistance, the greater the power consumption.
Previously, two power inductors were connected in parallel to lower the resistance value, but this had the drawback of increasing the number of components and constraining circuit design flexibility.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics has implemented a coupled structure with two coils stacked atop one another to achieve a single chip. Coupled power inductors are among the most challenging technologies to implement within the power inductor product category, primarily due to issues related to coil insulation and magnetic field interference.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ coupled power inductor is a thin-film inductor formed by electroplating thin coil shapes on a package substrate and is characterized by superior electrical properties such as insulation (less electromagnetic interference) and resistance value than competing products that are made by directly winding coils on magnetic materials (materials with magnetic properties).
Samsung Electro-Mechanics independently developed a magnetic material with outstanding properties and low loss, leveraging the material technology expertise accumulated through MLCC. They also employed the photosensitization method (a manufacturing technique that employs light to etch circuits), which is commonly used in semiconductor package substrate manufacturing, to precisely establish the spacing between the two coils, minimizing the impact of environmental changes on product properties.
The market size for power inductors is expected to reach around USD 3.65 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of approximately 9%. The power inductor market is expected to experience steady growth, driven by high-performance products, as a result of the increasing demand for enhanced performance and the multifunctionality of electronic devices. Additionally, the expansion of the automotive industry, including autonomous driving and electric vehicles, is contributing to this trend.
“Power inductors are becoming a key component in distinguishing the performance of semiconductors as the demand for higher specifications and better semiconductor performance continues,” said Duckhyun Chang, CEO of Samsung Electro-Mechanics. “Samsung Electro-Mechanics will develop distinct products utilizing the world’s finest materials and cutting-edge process technologies to establish itself as a leading tech company in the power inductor market.”