New Industry Products

Ceramic Disc Safety Capacitors for EV and Hi-rel Industrial Applications

July 20, 2014 by Jeff Shepard

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new series of AEC-Q200-qualified, AC-line-rated ceramic disc safety capacitors designed to provide high reliability for Class X1 (440 Vac) and Y2 (300 Vac) automotive applications in accordance with IEC 60384-14.3, 3rd edition. Featuring U2J, Y5S, and Y5U ceramic dielectrics, the AY2 series is optimized for on-board chargers and battery management in electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), as well as high-reliability industrial applications. The capacitors offer a capacitance range from 10 pF to 4700 pF — with tolerances down to ± 10 % — over a temperature range of -55 to +125 degrees C.

The new Vishay AY2 capacitors achieve an unmatched level of performance: they withstand more than 2,000 temperature cycles without a single failure, twice the AEC standard. With their superior robustness, the capacitors provide the highest levels of quality and reliability. They incorporate the very latest in ceramic material, capacitor design, and production technologies.

The devices released today consist of a silver-plated ceramic disc with tinned copper connection leads offering 0.6 mm diameters. AY2 capacitors are available with straight leads with spacing of 5 mm, 7.5 mm, and 10 mm. RoHS-compliant and halogen-free, the devices’ encapsulation is made of flame-resistant epoxy resin in accordance with UL 94 V-0.

“In industrial electronics, where parts have to operate under extreme conditions, there is an ongoing trend towards higher quality and reliability standards,” said Dr. Michael Lobenhofer, product marketing manager for ceramic capacitors at Vishay. “This requires the use of electronic components with long lifetimes and the utmost reliability. To meet the demands of the industrial market, we are releasing this completely new series of leaded Y2-rated ceramic safety capacitors — which is a further development of the company's well-established VY2 series — that offer unprecedented levels of quality and reliability.”

In addition to complying with the IEC 60384-14 safety standard, the new Vishay AY2 series capacitors are also qualified according to the AEC-Q200 specification, which includes the most stringent stress tests for passive components. A good example of the difference between the two standards is temperature cycling. The IEC 60384-14 standard requires that capacitors pass five full cycles over the complete operating temperature range. In contrast, the AEC standard requires a minimum number of 1,000 temperature cycles. Samples of the AY2 series are available now. Production quantities will be available in Q3 2014, with lead times of eight to 10 weeks for larger orders.