![]()
INV-20096
Background
We face many technological challenges related to wireless communication and the rapid transfer of large amounts of data. Major advances in addressing these challenges are being driven by the advent of 5G (and, soon to be 6G) revolution.
To meet 5G requirements and performance demands, new materials are required to resolve existing shortcomings of the current state-of-the-art solutions to energy conversion, conditioning, and storage in the form of inductor components. These components are principally limited by today’s materials in terms of low permeability and efficiency up to a few MHz.
Technology Overview
A novel approach to high frequency - high power inductor materials is proposed and demonstrated. The invention entails 2‑3 component composites consisting of 1) highly resistive magnetic particles, 2) ferromagnetic metallic particles, and 3) a host dielectric or binder.
The first components are insulating magnetic oxides of the ferrite type used as either a coating, an inter-particulate constituent, or as the major constituent particle.
As a coating, they assemble on the second component ferromagnetic metallic particles (FMP) to disrupt eddy currents reducing total core losses. In this role, some fraction of particles also acts as an inter-particulate constituent (IPC) residing between ferromagnetic metallic particles.
The second components are ferromagnetic metallic particles (FMPs) that can take the form of highly permeable and highly magnetic moment alloys that may be crystalline (FeSi-based, FeNi-based, FeCo-based, etc.). Similar to the role described for the ferrite particles, as a coating, they assemble on ferrite to improve permeability, magnetization, and curie temperature.
The third component, which is optional, can be a host dielectric such as thermoset or polymer, or a simple binder, depending upon the desired higher functionality.
Benefits
- Very small amounts of an insulating magnetic particle (i.e., ferrite particles) are shown to suppress core losses (as much as 80%) when used as a coating on ferromagnetic metallic particles or as an inter-particulate constituent
- Magnetic loss tangents at frequencies from above 100 MHz are reduced considerably
- Permeability is maintained at high levels due to the maintained long-range magnetic interactions
- Small form factors are realized related to sustained high saturation magnetization
- As much as a 50% reduction in magnetic loss tangent is measured at 500MHz when ferrites are added to FMP “flakes” suspended in a binder
Applications
- Power generation, conversion, and conditioning at frequencies above 100 KHz to beyond 1 GHz
- Inductors, transformers, inverters/converters, filters, and power suppliers
- Data centers
Opportunity
- License
- Partnering
- Research collaboration
