KYOTO, JAPAN -- Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 6981) (ISIN: JP3914400001) has announced the new GCM21BE71H106KE02 multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) has entered mass production. The device is the world’s first 0805-inch size (2.0 x 1.25 mm) MLCC to offer a capacitance of 10µF with a 50Vdc rating and is specifically engineered for automotive applications*. This cutting-edge product marks a significant advancement in MLCC design, delivering a smaller 0805-inch package while maintaining capacitance, voltage rating, and MLCC reliability.

Advancements in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) technologies necessitate deploying an increased number of integrated circuits (ICs) within vehicle systems. This surge in ICs simultaneously leads to a greater demand for supporting high-capacitance passive components while imposing tighter spatial constraints - as a greater number of capacitors must be accommodated on increasingly crowded automotive printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Designed for 12V automotive power lines, the GCM21BE71H106KE02 capacitor leverages Murata’s proprietary ceramic material and thinning technologies to help engineers to save PCB space and reduce the overall capacitor count, resulting in smaller, more efficient, and reliable automotive systems. As the first automotive-specific MLCC to achieve a 10µF capacitance with a 50Vdc rating in the compact 0805-inch size the GCM21BE71H106KE02 represents a significant advancement in capacitance efficiency. It offers roughly 2.1 times the capacitance of Murata’s previous 4.7µF/50Vdc product, despite sharing the same physical size. Furthermore, compared to the previous 10µF/50Vdc MLCC in the larger 1206-inch size (3.2 x 1.6 mm), the new MLCC occupies approximately 53% less space, providing substantial space savings for automotive applications.

Murata will continue to pursue further miniaturization and increased capacitance of MLCCs, while expanding its product lineup to meet the evolving needs of the automotive market. These efforts will support the industry as they look to develop higher-performance and more multifunctional vehicles. In addition, by downsizing electronic components, Murata aims to reduce material usage and improve production efficiency per unit, helping to lower electricity consumption at its manufacturing sites and reduce overall environmental impact.