Alps Electric has developed the “GLU Series” Liqualloy™ Power Inductor, a product that will contribute to energy savings in mobile devices fitted with OLED panels, for which demand has risen in recent years. Mass production began in May 2017.

Today’s smartphones and other mobile devices increasingly make use of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels to realize better image quality. By 2020, more than half of all such devices are expected to have them. It is also now commonplace for users to listen to music and watch videos on tablets. The power requirement of mobile devices thus continues to grow, spurring end product manufacturers to search for ways to make their tablets more energy-efficient.

Already in mass production, Alps Electric’s GLU Series Liqualloy™ Power Inductor has 25% lower DC resistance than the company’s existing product, achieved through use of next-generation materials and coil technology advancement. This improves power conversion efficiency, especially with a heavy power requirement. Excellent characteristics are demonstrated even when OLED panels are set on high brightness or during video playback, thereby helping to extend the life of mobile device batteries.

As a chip type component, electrodes of the GLU Series are located on the base, which is useful for achieving low height. Because there are no electrodes located on the top of the power inductor, noise suppression components or other parts can be installed in close proximity to it. This improves flexibility in end product design.



Efficiency comparison in an OLED display panel

Features

Outstanding energy-saving performance ideal for OLED panels

1.Improves on efficiency of existing GLC Series with DC resistance reduced by 25%

2.Employs original low-core-loss material Liqualloy™ with excellent soft magnetic characteristics, realizing low loss during power conversion

3.Excellent characteristics in circuits with high switching frequencies and high ripple currents, contributing to long battery life in mobile devices

4.Locating electrodes on the base helps improve end product design flexibility

Principal Applications

Smartphones
Tablets
Other mobile devices equipped with OLED technology

Planned Release

Mass production:	From early May 2017
Sample price	¥100 (Tax excluded)
Development	Engineering Headquarters—Nagaoka Plant (Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture)
Production	Production Headquarters—Nagaoka Plant (Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture)

Specifications

Model	GLUHK Series	GLULK Series
Dimensions (W×D×H)	2.0×1.6×1.0mm	2.5×2.0×1.0mm
Inductance	0.47 – 2.2μH	0.47 – 4.7μH
DC resistance	30 – 126 mΩ	24 – 192 mΩ

Source:http://www.alps.com/