Passive components are the future of shrinking technology

Smaller case size passive components are important developments in helping reduce the physical size of the electronic goods into which they are sold. Those products that have had the greatest impact on driving the development for smaller case size capacitors, resistors and inductors include smartphones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, digital still and video cameras; and flat panel displays.

In ceramic capacitors, with emphasis on MLCCs, miniaturization has been dramatic, with global demand switching from the larger 0805 case size parts to the smaller 0603 and 0402 case size parts, and then dropping down to the astonishing 0201 (EIA) case size in 2003, and by 2016 the 01005 had created a firm foothold as the next generation in extremely small electronic components. And now the trend moves forward with the introduction of the 008004 in MLCC thick film chip resistor and in ceramic chip inductor (very cutting edge, very state of the art).

But as the discussions around the conference rooms for many of the major brand name OEMs who dominate the high-tech economy, the goal has to be to be able to produce an entire power amplifier or communication module in a 0201 case size. To achieve that goal in the future, to drive the Internet of Everything into the granularity of human existence, the passive components in the design need to provide their function but be invisible, and be as exactly precise in their performance as possible.

To achieve that goal, major design houses will have to extend the palette of the materials that they work with; a more expanded view of the periodic table; and expand the processing capabilities of the machines they use to build the products of the future.