New device redefines power supply noise suppression

Murata has unveiled a notable advancement in the realm of electronic components with the release of its innovative L Cancel Transformer (LCT). This exceptional product is the first of its kind and can neutralise the ESL of a capacitor, optimising its noise-reducing capabilities. Using its exclusive ceramic multilayer technology, this breakthrough solution enables engineers to decrease system noise while reducing costs and component count.

As the demand for miniaturised and highly functional electronics increases, the issue of electromagnetic noise is becoming increasingly prominent for many industries. As a noise countermeasure, capacitors are often used between the power supply line and ground, but this method is not without its challenges. The noise removal effectiveness of the capacitor is optimal when a capacitor’s impedance is lowest. However, capacitor impedance can rise due to its ESL, especially at frequencies beyond the self-resonant frequency, undermining the efficacy of the noise cancellation. To minimise this impact, it is common practice to connect numerous capacitors in parallel in order to collectively reduce impedance, at the expense of BoM component count and costs.

The company's LCT is a revolutionary new concept capable of resolving the longstanding challenge of managing power supply noise and capacitor component count. The LCT component is specifically engineered to minimise noise within the frequency range of a few MHz to 1GHz . It accomplishes this by using negative mutual inductance to lower a noise-reducing capacitor’s ESL and, therefore, increase the effectiveness of its operation, drastically reducing the number of needed capacitors.

By using non-magnetic ceramic multilayer technology in its construction, the LCT ensures stable negative inductance and low DC resistance (maximum 55mOhm) even in the presence of current variations and is suited for a wide range of applications, including consumer, industrial and healthcare products. The LCT breakthrough is a result of the company's extensive multilayer ceramic knowledge and redefines power supply noise reduction circuit design, and minimises a notable and persistent electronic design challenge.

Each LCT is ideal for temperatures up to temperatures 125C and since there is no DC superposition characteristic, it can be employed with stable negative inductance up to 3A. The SMD measures just 2mm x 1.25mm x 0.95mm and is available in tape and reel packing.

“Murata’s new LCT is a true innovation that does not merely improve what is available, but redefines what is seen as a standard noise suppression component by radically redefining the entire concept”, said Masamichi Ando, vice president Business Incubation Center Corporate Technology and Business Development Unit, at Murata. “With this revolutionary component, engineers will be able to reduce component count, system complexity and costs, helping to both further miniaturise their solutions and reduce its impact on the environment by lowering material consumption.”