PLE Series Thin-Film Power Inductors

TDK Corporation PLEA85 series power inductors [1.0 mm (L) x 0.8 mm (W) x 0.55 mm (H)] achieves a low profile and improved electrical characteristics compared to the PLEA67 series by using thin-film processing techniques. It expands the PLE series of inductors for use in true wireless stereo (TWS) devices. TWS devices are finding increasing applications with smartphones, smartwatches, and other wearables, and in turn, the demand for electronic components in this domain is rising.

The PLEA85 series achieves an incredibly low profile of 0.55 mm maximum for power supply inductors using metallic magnetic materials. The external electrode is suitable for high-density mounting by using the bottom electrode and the partly L-shaped form to suppress misplacement during mounting and improve terminal strength. In addition, a newly developed low-loss metal magnetic material reduces AC loss and provides highly efficient power supply circuits. That contributes to the long-term operation of batteries used in wearables and other devices.

This series of inductors is intended for use in power circuits incorporated into wireless earphones used with smartphones, portable players, and similar devices. In addition to an impressive rated current of 500 mA, the PLEA67 series of inductors also boasts one of the industry's smallest external sizes, measuring 1.0 mm (L) x 0.6 mm (W) x 0.7 mm (H). The compact external size facilitates space savings in circuit board design and helps reduce the weight of earphones, providing users with mobility and comfort. The magnetic shield structure reduces magnetic flux leakage to pave the way for high-density implementation. TDK original structure design and more recently developed materials are used in its thin-film process to achieve a rated current of 500 mA despite a high inductance of 2.2 µH for its size.