TDK Advances Soft-Termination MLCCs for 48V Power Applications
TDK Corporation has expanded its CN series of low-resistance, soft-termination surface-mount multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), introducing a new 100-V component that combines high capacitance with improved reliability for demanding power applications.
The new component features X7R characteristics and achieves an industry-leading rated capacitance of 10 μF in the 3225 package size, measuring 3.2 × 2.5 × 2.5 mm (L × W × T). According to TDK, the product represents a significant advancement in soft-termination MLCC technology by addressing the traditional trade-off between mechanical reliability and electrical performance.
Mass production of the new components is scheduled to begin in September 2026.
The CN series is TDK’s proprietary product line, designed with an optimized resin electrode structure. This design enables the components to maintain terminal resistance comparable to TDK’s conventional MLCCs while providing the mechanical benefits associated with soft termination.
Meeting the Demands of 48V Systems
The expansion of the CN series comes as 48-V electrical architectures become increasingly important across several emerging technology markets.
AI servers, humanoid robots, electric and electrified vehicles (xEVs), and industrial equipment are increasingly adopting 48-V power systems. Higher-voltage architectures can help reduce power losses and enable lighter wire harnesses, making them attractive for systems where energy efficiency, thermal performance and weight are important considerations.
However, moving to 48-V power architectures also creates new requirements for passive components.
MLCCs used for power-line smoothing and decoupling need to withstand higher voltage while providing sufficient capacitance to stabilize power delivery. As system power requirements increase, designers need components that can deliver greater capacitance without consuming additional board space.
This creates a significant engineering challenge: achieving higher capacitance while maintaining compact dimensions, high voltage ratings and long-term reliability.
TDK’s latest CN series component is designed to address these requirements with a 100-V rating and 10-μF capacitance in the 3225 package.
Addressing the Challenge of Soft-Termination MLCCs
Mechanical reliability is another critical consideration in modern electronic systems.
MLCCs can be susceptible to cracking when subjected to external mechanical stress, such as bending of the circuit board. Cracks can potentially affect electrical performance and system reliability.
Soft-termination MLCCs have been developed to reduce this risk. These components incorporate a resin-based structure in the terminal area that can absorb or mitigate mechanical stress, helping protect the ceramic body of the capacitor.
However, conventional soft-termination designs can introduce another challenge.
The addition of a resin layer can increase the component’s equivalent series resistance (ESR). Higher ESR can negatively affect electrical performance, particularly in power applications where low impedance and efficient current handling are important.
This has created a long-standing trade-off between mechanical reliability and electrical performance.
TDK’s CN series is designed to overcome this limitation.
Optimized Resin Electrode Structure
TDK developed the CN series around an optimized resin electrode structure intended to provide the benefits of soft termination without significantly increasing terminal resistance.
Through optimized material selection and product design, the new components achieve terminal resistance comparable to TDK’s standard MLCC products.
This allows designers to benefit from the mechanical reliability of a soft-termination structure while maintaining low electrical resistance.
According to TDK, the new components provide twice the capacitance of its conventional capacitors in the same size while significantly reducing ESR compared with conventional soft-termination approaches.
The combination of high capacitance, high voltage and low resistance makes the technology particularly relevant to compact 48-V power systems.
Fewer Components, Smaller Designs
One of the most significant benefits of the new MLCCs is the potential to reduce the number of components required on a circuit board.
With twice the capacitance available in the same package size compared with TDK’s conventional capacitors, designers may be able to achieve required electrical performance using fewer MLCCs.
In some applications, this could allow the number of MLCCs used in a particular mounting area to be reduced by half.
Reducing component count can provide several benefits. It can free up valuable PCB space, simplify circuit layouts and support smaller overall system designs.
For manufacturers developing compact and highly integrated products, these improvements can be particularly valuable.
The reduced component count may also contribute to manufacturing efficiency and system reliability by reducing the number of individual components that need to be mounted and interconnected.
Supporting AI Server Power Infrastructure
AI servers are among the key applications for the new CN series.
The rapid growth of AI workloads is driving demand for increasingly powerful computing infrastructure. As processors and accelerators consume more power, server architectures are evolving to deliver electricity more efficiently.
The adoption of 48-V power distribution is one approach being explored to reduce power losses and improve the efficiency of high-performance computing infrastructure.
Within these systems, MLCCs play an important role in power-line smoothing and decoupling.
TDK’s 100-V, 10-μF CN series component is designed to provide the capacitance required for these applications while maintaining a compact package size and low resistance.
Its soft-termination structure can also contribute to improved reliability in environments where circuit boards and components may experience mechanical stress.
Applications Beyond AI Servers
Although AI infrastructure is an important target market, the new MLCCs are designed for a broader range of 48-V applications.
Humanoid robots are another emerging application. These systems require compact and efficient power architectures capable of supporting motors, actuators, sensors, processors and communications equipment. As robotic systems become more sophisticated, efficient power distribution and reliable electronic components become increasingly important.
The technology is also relevant to xEVs, including electric vehicles and other electrified vehicle platforms. Automotive electronics must operate reliably under demanding conditions, making component durability and electrical stability critical design considerations.
The CN series’ automotive reliability qualification based on AEC-Q200 further supports its suitability for automotive applications.
Industrial equipment represents another potential market. Factory automation, robotics, power systems and other industrial technologies increasingly require efficient and reliable power management solutions.
A Combination of Electrical and Mechanical Reliability
The development of the CN series reflects a broader trend in electronic component engineering: manufacturers are increasingly required to solve multiple design challenges simultaneously.
A capacitor for next-generation systems cannot simply provide high capacitance. It must also operate at the required voltage, maintain low resistance, withstand mechanical stress and fit within increasingly compact electronic assemblies.
TDK’s approach combines these requirements into a single component design.
The optimized resin electrode structure provides soft-termination characteristics intended to improve mechanical reliability, while the company’s material selection and component design help maintain low terminal resistance.
The result is a product designed to deliver electrical performance and mechanical reliability within the same compact package.
Looking Ahead
TDK plans to begin mass production of the new CN series components in September 2026 and will continue expanding the product line to address the evolving requirements of its customers.
As AI servers, humanoid robots, xEVs and industrial systems increasingly adopt 48-V architectures, demand for compact, high-capacitance and highly reliable passive components is expected to grow.
TDK’s latest MLCC technology is designed to address this need by combining a 100-V rating, 10-μF capacitance and low-resistance soft termination in a compact 3225 package.
By potentially reducing the number of capacitors required while maintaining electrical and mechanical performance, the new components can help designers create more compact and reliable power systems.
The development also demonstrates how incremental improvements in passive components can have a broader impact on system-level design. A smaller number of higher-capacitance components can free PCB space, simplify layouts and contribute to more compact products.
For technologies such as AI servers, humanoid robots, xEVs and advanced industrial equipment, where efficiency, reliability and miniaturization are increasingly important, innovations in components such as MLCCs will remain an important part of the engineering equation.
With the expansion of its CN series, TDK is positioning soft-termination MLCC technology to meet the increasingly demanding requirements of next-generation 48-V power architectures — combining high capacitance, low resistance, high-voltage capability and mechanical reliability in a compact component.
Source Link: https://www.tdk.com/