AVX Unveils Ultra‑Miniature MIM Transmission Line Capacitors for High‑Frequency Microwave & RF Applications

Source: AVX News

AVX Corporation, a global leader in advanced electronic components and interconnect solutions, has introduced a new line of ultraminiature thin‑film transmission line capacitors engineered for high‑frequency links, DC blocking in the UHF range (300 MHz–3 GHz), and other demanding microwave and RF applications.

These capacitors feature a proprietary metal‑insulator‑metal (MIM) architecture, copper traces for optimal conductivity, a transmission‑line wire‑bond pad, and a gold‑metallized backside ground. They are available on low‑loss substrates such as quartz, alumina, glass, and silicon, and come in capacitance values from 0.3 pF to 50 pF with a ±20 % tolerance. Each device is designed using ANSYS HFSS to pre‑empt electromagnetic challenges and deliver peak RF performance and reliability.

“Our new thin‑film transmission line capacitors are developed with ultra‑precise HFSS designs to optimize circuit conductivity and RF performance. They offer a wide range of capacitance values and customizable features—including impedance, substrate material, and thickness—and are gold‑wire bondable and RoHS compliant, making them ideal for a broad spectrum of high‑performance microwave and RF applications,” said Larry Eisenberger, Principal Technical Marketing Engineer at AVX.

The standard package offers substrate thicknesses of 5, 10, and 15 mils (0.005, 0.01, 0.015 in) and widths of 20 and 40 mils (0.02–0.04 in). Design‑dependent lengths range from 20–80 mils (average) and can extend beyond 320 mils for specialized applications.

Key performance metrics include a 100 V rating, capacitance density of 50–100 pF/mm², a dissipation factor below 0.1 %, a temperature coefficient of change (TCC) of ±60 ppm/°C, and a 50 Ω standard impedance. Custom impedance, substrate, and thickness options are available on request.

All units are RoHS compliant and meet MIL‑STD‑883‑2011.8 (bond strength), MIL‑STD‑883‑2018 (shear strength), and MIL‑STD‑202‑108 (lifetime) specifications. Packaging options include antistatic waffle pack, tested but undiced, and tested and diced on tape. Current lead time for the series is 14 weeks.