EPCOS ships tantalum capacitors with polymer multianodes

EPCOS is the first manufacturer worldwide to ship tantalum chip capacitors with polymer
multianodes. The very low ESR (equivalent series resistance) of these innovative
components makes them ideal as bulk capacitors for integrated circuits with high current
requirements in the PC and telecom equipment industries. In switch-mode power supplies,
the new capacitors can be used to smooth ripple currents up to 4.5 A.

The multianode design of these SMDs in case size E (7.3 × 4.3 × 4.1 mm) comprises three
low-profile polymer-coated tantalum anodes connected in parallel. This reduces ESR to
one-ninth of that of conventional tantalum capacitors, so that ESR values in the region of
10 m.... are obtained. Even single-digit ESR will become feasible in the medium term.

The polymer multianode design of the new tantalum capacitors reflects the trend toward
progressive integration. Used on main boards for the latest generation of microprocessors
(Pentium IV, PowerPC), one tantalum polymer capacitor from EPCOS can replace several
OSCON, aluminum electrolytic or ceramic capacitors connected in parallel. Thanks to its
low insertion height of only 4.4 mm, the capacitor can be located right next to the
processor package.

This ultra low-ESR capacitor saves users several times its board space as well as
purchasing and logistics costs. What's more, the number of bulk capacitors can be slashed
in comparison with conventional solutions. This simplifies circuit board design as a whole,
which is a key advantage for reducing printed conductor lengths in conjunction with
processors operating at high clock frequencies.

March.2002

Epcos