Murata Announces Launch and Mass Production of Industry-First 15nF / 1.25kV C0G MLCC in Compact 1210 Size
Murata Manufacturing has announced the commercial release and start of mass production of its newest multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC), offering a capacitance of 15nF and a rated voltage of 1.25kV with C0G (NP0) temperature characteristics in the compact 1210-inch package (3.2mm × 2.5mm). This component represents the world’s first breakthrough of its kind, delivering exceptional performance in high-voltage environments while maintaining stable and reliable electrical characteristics. The product is designed to meet the demanding requirements of advanced power electronics, including onboard chargers (OBCs) for electric vehicles (EVs) and high-performance consumer device power supply circuits.
With increasing global adoption of electric vehicles and the rapid evolution of power conversion technologies, the need for highly efficient and durable passive components continues to grow. Murata’s new high-voltage C0G MLCC addresses these industry demands by providing stable capacitance, reduced energy loss, and robust operation under extreme electrical and thermal stress—all within a significantly smaller footprint that supports increasingly compact system designs.
Rising Demand for High-Voltage, High-Stability Capacitors
Modern power electronics rely on components that can withstand high switching frequencies, elevated operating temperatures, and persistent high-voltage conditions. Resonant and snubber circuits, key elements in power conversion modules, play an essential role in reducing voltage spikes, suppressing electrical noise, and improving overall conversion efficiency. These circuits are especially critical in electric vehicle charging modules and industrial power systems, where constant high-power operation can significantly impact component lifespan.
In these applications, capacitors are regularly exposed to severe electrical stress. Even minimal deviations in capacitor characteristics may lead to:
- Reduced efficiency in power conversion
- Increased heat generation
- Accelerated component degradation
- Potential equipment malfunction or catastrophic failure
The market trend toward higher-efficiency power devices has accelerated the transition from traditional silicon MOSFETs to silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. SiC solutions support significantly faster switching speeds and higher breakdown voltages, enabling more compact designs and improved energy efficiency. However, SiC devices also impose far stricter demands on surrounding passive components, particularly capacitors used in resonant and snubber circuits. Because SiC MOSFET applications typically require breakdown voltages around 1.2kV, capacitors must exceed this threshold to provide sufficient stability and operating headroom.
Murata’s Breakthrough: Stable High-Voltage Performance in a Smaller Package
To meet these evolving requirements, Murata leveraged its proprietary material engineering and manufacturing technologies to create an MLCC that offers 15nF capacitance at 1.25kV, while maintaining C0G characteristics in a compact 1210-inch footprint. Achieving this combination of performance and size had previously been considered technically challenging due to limitations in dielectric material strength and dimensional processing constraints.
This breakthrough was made possible by Murata’s advanced design capabilities, including:
- Custom high-performance ceramic materials optimized for high-voltage reliability
- Proprietary internal electrode formulations and structure
- Thin-layer molding and high-precision stacking processes allowing extremely uniform layer construction
- Manufacturing control technology ensuring durability and consistency at scale
As a result, Murata’s new MLCC achieves exceptional temperature stability, low dissipation factor, and minimal capacitance variation, even when exposed to harsh operating conditions. Its C0G dielectric characteristics comply with EIA standards, maintaining:
- Stable capacitance within a temperature range from –55°C to +125°C
- Low loss and minimal variation under high-frequency switching
- Excellent insulation resistance and operational reliability
These qualities make the product ideally suited for demanding high-voltage applications where long-term durability and precision are critical.
Supporting Next-Generation Resonant and Snubber Circuits
The newly released MLCC is particularly advantageous in resonant and snubber circuit designs deployed within electric vehicles and industrial-grade power systems. Because it maintains predictable and stable performance under rapid switching and extreme operating stresses, system designers can:
- Increase power conversion efficiency
- Reduce thermal load and cooling requirements
- Improve reliability and extend equipment lifespan
- Reduce system size and weight while maintaining performance
The component is available in capacitance values from 4.7nF to 15nF, providing flexibility for engineers optimizing resonant frequency, circuit tuning, or transient suppression. It also supports a range of tight tolerances from ±1% to ±5%, enabling precise electrical control essential in high-performance designs.
Applications and Market Impact
The 1.25kV C0G MLCC is engineered to support a wide range of emerging technologies where high-voltage stability is increasingly crucial. Key application areas include:
- Onboard Chargers (OBCs) and DC-DC converters in electric vehicles
- High-frequency switching power supplies
- Energy storage and renewable power control units
- Industrial automation power systems
- Medical and laboratory equipment
- High-end consumer electronics and computing hardware
As EV adoption accelerates globally and governments expand support for carbon neutrality, demand for compact and effective power control components is expected to surge. Murata’s innovation helps address this need while enabling OEMs to reduce overall system dimensions and improve performance.
Commitment to Sustainability and Future Development
Murata continues to invest in research and development aimed at further miniaturization, increased capacitance density, and higher voltage durability for MLCCs. In addition to technical innovation, the company has prioritized environmentally responsible manufacturing, promoting:
- Efficient resource utilization
- Reduced material waste
- Recycling and emissions reduction initiatives
- Green production standards across global facilities
As electrification accelerates across the automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors, Murata plans to expand its portfolio to support next-generation power architectures and contribute to global sustainability goals.
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