AVX Releases Next-Generation Medical-Grade Tantalum Capacitors for Use in Implantable & Life Support Devices

FOUNTAIN INN, S.C., March 22, 2016 -- AVX Corporation, a leading manufacturer of passive components and interconnect solutions, has released a new series of next-generation medical-grade, solid tantalum capacitors. Delivering lower DC leakage (DCL) values than any competitive offering — down to 0.0025CV, or 25% of typical industry limits — and requiring significantly less voltage de-rating than the standard 50% recommendation for solid tantalum capacitors — as low as 20% for filtering applications, and as low as 0% for pacing, hold-up, and charging application — the series is ideal for use in a variety of medical implantable and life support devices.

TAZ Series HRC6000 capacitors are manufactured using AVX's patented Q-Process, which was developed to ensure the production of the highest reliability tantalum capacitors possible by replacing a portion of the Weibull Reliability Assessment as the industry standard due to its tendency to burn-in potentially unstable units. In use since 2013, the Q-Process employs enhanced embedded screening to effectively remove any component that may experience parametric shifts as a result of processing or display instability through life testing, providing customers with stable and normalized DCL distribution and unsurpassed reliability.

"Our new TAZ Series HRC6000 medical-grade, solid tantalum capacitors deliver exceptionally low DCL and extremely high performance in a variety of case sizes, capacitance values, capacitance tolerances, voltage ratings, and termination finishes to provide ideal filtering, pacing, hold-up, and charging solutions for a wide range of medical implantable and life-support applications," said Brian Brunette, high-reliability tantalum applications engineer, AVX. "Manufactured and tested using our patented Q-Process, which utilizes a product-level designation system based on a simulated production routine performed on a sample population, in combination with a calculation that is based on both the performance of the sample and end customers' application conditions, the new TAZ Series HRC6000 capacitors also allow for remarkably relaxed de-rating recommendations."

TAZ Series HRC6000 medical-grade, solid tantalum capacitors are currently available in E-cases (Metric Code: 5025) with three rated voltages (6V, 10V, and 15V), three capacitance tolerances (±5%, ±10%, and ±20%), and with capacitance values spanning 10μF to 33μF. Additional series introductions scheduled for later this year will include A-cases (Metric Code: 2512) with the same voltage ratings and capacitance values spanning 0.68μF to 1.5μF. Rated operating temperatures for the series range from -55°C to +125°C, and the capacitors can be supplied with one of four termination finishes: solder-plated, solder-fused, gold-plated, and 100% tin, the latter two of which are lead-free compatible and RoHS compliant. Lead-time for the series is eight weeks, and components can be shipped in bulk, on 7" tape and reel, or in waffle packaging.

TAZ Series HRC6000 capacitors are manufactured, reliability graded, and performance tested at AVX's Biddeford, Maine facility, which is ISO 13485 certified.

For more information about this certification, or to request a specific rating, please contact the factory by calling 207-282-5111. For more information about AVX's new TAZ Series HRC6000 medical-grade, solid tantalum capacitors, please visit http://www.avx.com/products/tantalum/high-reliability/medical/hrc6000-taz-series/ to access the product datasheet, catalog, technical and part number information, modeling software, and relevant technical papers, including "Reaching the Highest Reliability for Tantalum Capacitors," which provides in-depth information about AVX's patented Q-Process. For all other inquiries, please visit www.avx.com, call 864-967-2150, or write to One AVX Boulevard, Fountain Inn, S.C. 29644.

About AVX

AVX Corporation is a leading international supplier of electronic passive components and interconnect solutions with 20 manufacturing and warehouse facilities in 11 countries around the world. AVX offers a broad range of devices including capacitors, resistors, filters, timing and circuit protection devices, and connectors. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:AVX).

A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=39537

CONTACT: Brian Brunette 
         Applications Engineer, AVX
         207-286-2181 
         [email protected] 
         
         Christine Stieglitz
         PR Executive, BtB Marketing
         919-872-8172
         [email protected]