Implementation of low loss Mn-Zn ferrite cores for power electronics applications

Simultaneous introduction of CaO, Co₂O₃ and MoO₃ dopants into low loss manganese-zinc soft ferrites remarkably improves the power loss characteristic of the ferrite cores. Since the driving frequency of switching power supplies has been raised from several kHz to more than 1 MHz, the power loss of the magnetic devices must be reduced. The eddy current loss of soft ferrite will take a major proportion of iron loss in these high-frequency switching power supplies. An attempt was made to develop low loss Mn-Zn polycrystalline ferrites by increasing resistivity to decrease eddy current loss. Doped Mn-Zn ferrites were prepared by conventional ceramic technique and sintered at the temperature of 1320degC for 1-8 hours respectively in air. The DC resistivity was measured by using four-probe methods on sintered disks whose sides were polished and coated with a thin layer of silver paste as a good contact material. The magnetic permeability at room temperature was measured by using an impedance analyzer (Hewlett-Packard, Model HP4294A) with HP-16047 test fixture. The core loss of Mn_0.58Zn_0.37Co_0.01Fe_2.04 O₄ ferrite doped with 0.08 wt% MoO₃ is 370 mW/c.c at 500 kHz/70 mT