The NGK booth will feature EnerCera batteries for connected devices, a new gallium nitride (GaN) wafer that improves the performance of RF devices and high-power devices, and dissimilar material bonded wafers, which contribute to the production of highly functional semiconductors and electronic components. NGK will also display a variety of ceramic products for electronic devices which harness its unique ceramic technology, including translucent alumina ceramic wafers which possess the properties of translucency and high modulus of rigidity, and capacitance sensors, which make it possible to detect the conductivity or concentration of various chemical solutions.
November 16 (Wed.) from 2:30 – 3:00 PM, on Hall B3, 540 (inside the Messe München event hall), Makoto Iwai, will present a session explaining the advantages of rechargeable EnerCera batteries when used in maintenance free IoT devices.
The ultra-thin and compact lithium-ion rechargeable battery EnerCera is highly heat resistant, being able to withstand temperatures of 105°. It is highly durable due to the use of ceramic electrodes, and can be used as a backup power supply for devices and sensors that operate in harsh environments such as factory automation and plants. EnerCera is characterized by its ability to store even small amounts of electricity due to its low internal resistance. Combined with power supply technologies such as solar power generation and wireless power transfer (WPT), EnerCera enables independent connected devices such as position trackers for logistics to be used for long periods of time. Furthermore, because EnerCera is ultra-thin and compact, it can even be used in wearable devices.
At the electronica booth, NGK will showcase application examples, allowing visitors to experience specific usage scenarios of standalone devices that utilize EnerCera. NGK will also showcase a new proof-of-concept indoor/outdoor position tracker developed in collaboration with Exeger (Sweden), Tachibana Electronic Solutions (Japan), and Semtech (USA). The combination of EnerCera eliminates the need for battery replacement and recharging work required with conventional trackers, making the system maintenance-free.
GaN (Gallium Nitride) Wafers
At the booth, NGK will also display conductive GaN wafers and semi-insulating GaN wafers. GaN wafers exhibits low defect density through NGK's proprietary liquid phase crystal growth method in comparison to the conventional vapor phase crystal growth method. Conductive GaN wafers realize ultra-bright laser diodes and power devices with high power levels and low levels of loss. Semi-insulating GaN wafers improve the performance of RF devices for 5G and 6G wireless communication base stations, various radars, and satellite communications, which all require higher frequencies and higher output.
Sintered-PZT bonded wafers will also be displayed at the booth. Bonded wafers are realized by techniques of bonding dissimilar materials and high-precision polishing. Combinations of dissimilar materials make it possible for bonded wafers to deliver performance and functionality beyond wafers made from a single material, such as suppressing thermal expansion, ensuring mechanical strength, and enhancing thermal conductivity. They are notable for enabling a choice of material matched to the usage, such as semiconductor and piezoelectric crystal for the functional layer, and silicon, sapphire, crystal, or glass for the base material.
Sintered-PZT bonded wafers are fabricated through a sintering method applied to PZT, a piezoelectric material which can be deformed when electricity is applied and generate electricity when deformed. They are bonded to a base material and polished for use as a functional layer, and applied to wireless speakers and sensors for autonomous driving, etc.
Since its foundation in 1919, NGK has used its unique ceramic technology to provide numerous ground-breaking products. Today, NGK is active in more than 20 countries worldwide, as one of the largest manufacturers of ceramic substrates for automotive catalytic converters, CO2 capture solutions, and NAS batteries for energy storage, all vital tools for sustainable energy infrastructure.
www.ngk-insulators.com
