AVX Extends & Improves its THH 230ºC Hermetic Series Capacitors

AVX Corporation has added several new capacitance and voltage ratings to its THH 230ºC Hermetic Series high temperature SMD tantalum capacitors, which, more than two years after their introduction, still feature the highest temperature ratings of any SMD tantalum capacitors available on the market. AVX has also improved the performance of the THH Series’ “I” case components, extending the maximum rated operating temperature from 215ºC to 230ºC. The series now features capacitance values spanning 6.8µF to 100µF, voltage ratings spanning 16V to 63V, and minimum lifetimes of 1,000 hours at 230ºC and 0.5VR and 10,000 hours at 200ºC and 0.5VR. Additionally, when compared with other currently available high temperature capacitor solutions, such as 200ºC WET Tantalum, the THH Series capacitors feature excellent volumetric efficiency, show no capacitance drop-off at even extremely high temperatures, and exhibit superior stability in high temperature, high humidity, and ambient atmosphere environments, which enables several significant design benefits, including size reductions, lower components counts, and improved reliability in high temperature electronics applications, such as down-hole oil drilling.

THH 230ºC Hermetic Series capacitors also exhibit low leakage current (0.01CV), and are manufactured and screened using AVX’s patented and extremely effective Q-Process, which ensures the removal of any components that may experience parametric shifts through customer processing or display instability through life testing. As such, THH Series capacitors exhibit an impressive FIT rate of 1% per 1,000 hours at 85ºC and rated voltage with 0.1Ω/V series impedance.

“Subjected to extensive mechanical shock, vibration, operating life, and moisture resistance testing, THH 230ºC Hermetic Series tantalum capacitors have been proven to deliver outstanding mechanical robustness and electrical performance that far surpasses what comparable capacitors molded in standard epoxy resin can provide,” said Mitch Weaver, a member of the technical staff at AVX. “These benefits, combined with the series’ high volumetric efficiency, extreme temperature capabilities, long lifetimes, and still-expanding rating, case size, and termination options enhance design flexibility and dramatically improve performance in a wide variety of harsh, high temperature applications.”

Available in two large, hermetically sealed ceramic packages — 9/CTC-21D for higher capacitance (47–100µF at present) and “I” for a lower maximum profile (3.00mm vs. 6.5mm) — THH 230ºC Hermetic Series capacitors may be supplied with gold-plated undertab terminations, gold-plated L-shape J-lead terminations, and nickel-plated J-flex J-lead terminations. “I” case THH Series capacitors are currently available with 6.8µF/35V, 10µF/35V, and 22µF/16V ratings, and 9/CTC-21D case capacitors are currently available with 47µF/63V and 100µF/35V ratings. Additionally, “I” case capacitors rated for 47µF/16V are currently available as engineering samples, and 26 additional codes spanning both case sizes are actively under development. Once complete, the series will be available in capacitance values spanning 3.3µF to 330µF, voltages spanning 16V to 63V, and six case size and termination combinations ranging in size from 11.9mm x 6.0mm x 3.0mm to 12.10mm x 12.5mm x 6.5mm. THH Series capacitors are supplied in either waffle or bulk packaging, and lead time for the series is currently 8–12 weeks.