Examples of Technology Application ~Product Introduction~ Murata's Capacitors/Inductors embedded substrates (iPaS) supporting power supply design for high-performance semiconductors

Murata's iPaS is not merely an embedded component, but a highly flexible board solution that allows specifications to be customized to match the user's system.

Capacitor iPaS

Capacitor iPaS is a board product with an integrated capacitor, born from the fusion of Murata's conductive polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitor technology and multilayer board technology.

The integrated aluminum electrolytic capacitor is processed into a thin sheet form with a thickness of 0.3 to 0.35 mm (millimeters) through a unique design and manufacturing process, optimized for board integration.

The capacitor features a through-hole internally, while flat copper electrodes on both surfaces enable laser via connections, facilitating electrical connections from the substrate interior to the surface.

Furthermore, its array structure design allows customization of substrate specifications—including impedance characteristics, size, circuit routing, and footprint—to meet user requirements.

Inductor iPaS

The inductor iPaS is an integrated inductor substrate product incorporating a flat coil.

By arranging multiple coils wound flat in parallel and embedding them within the substrate, it can be used as a power inductor capable of handling currents exceeding 10A (amps).

The coil diameter and wire width can be customized, allowing characteristic values to be adjusted according to the application.

Murata's iPaS technology leverages proprietary techniques to embed passive components within the substrate, simultaneously enhancing electrical performance and reducing space requirements. This enables high-performance, high-density power delivery design.

Strengths of Capacitor iPaS

iPaS capacitors enhance overall system operational stability by reducing impedance in high-frequency bands and improving response speed. The key feature is the internally formed through-hole, which minimizes the current path and keeps the ESL (Equivalent Series Inductance) low. It also handles high currents, making it ideal for Vertical Power Delivery (VPD) and enabling low power consumption.

• VPD is a technology that improves system performance by minimizing the wiring distance between the power source and load compared to conventional horizontal power delivery systems, thereby reducing resistance losses.

Strengths of Inductor iPaS

The iPaS inductor incorporates a coil array, formed by unfolding a solenoid coil and arranging it flat, directly onto the substrate. This structure minimizes height constraints. Furthermore, it features a closed magnetic circuit design that eliminates magnetic flux concentration and minimizes leakage flux. This allows ICs (integrated circuits) to be mounted directly on the substrate, enabling low-profile module designs.

Discussions with semiconductor manufacturers sparked the exploration of the component integration concept.

During internal development, after attempting to integrate various types of capacitors onto the substrate, we decided to proceed with development using aluminum electrolytic capacitor technology, which is well-suited for high-capacity integration. Following numerous prototypes and refinements, we established the manufacturing process and design, evolving it into today's product.

Currently, we are developing the capacitor iPaS and the inductor iPaS separately. However, our future goal is to integrate both components onto the same substrate. This integration will enable even higher density mounting and the realization of a more stable power supply.

Murata's iPaS is a product specifically developed to meet the needs of the AI data center market. In this market, the trend toward higher currents is advancing, demanding increasingly high-performance semiconductors, while simultaneously presenting significant challenges due to rising power consumption. Consequently, the importance of semiconductor packaging technologies and power supply designs that achieve both high performance and low power consumption has grown more critical than ever. iPaS contributes to solving these challenges by enabling the integration of passive components, which increase with higher currents, directly within the substrate.

Applications for Capacitor iPaS

Ideal for power module substrates and package substrates for high-performance semiconductors requiring high currents (>100A).
Application Example: Power module substrates and package substrates for AI processors

Applications for Inductor iPaS

Ideal for power module substrates for AI data center hardware with strict height restrictions.
Application Example: Power module substrates for AI accelerators and optical transceivers