Wonder Stone

Murata refers to ceramics as a “wonder stone” because of its hidden and intriguing electric properties. Murata technology has unleashed many of the possibilities inherent in ceramics.

Dielectric Property

A Dam for Electric Energy

Because they can temporarily store electric energy dielectric ceramics serve an important role as a material for manufacturing capacitors, which, in turn, are responsible for properly supplying electric energy and signals to circuits.

Chip Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors

A material that can store energy when a voltage is applied causing electric polarization is called its dielectric property. Having especially high dielectric constant and being an excellent insulator, dielectric ceramics are widely used in capacitors. A capacitor works as a dam in an electric circuit and is the most frequently used component in circuits. Ferroelectric barium titanate-based chip multilayer ceramic capacitors are very compact have high capacitance and no lead terminals so they are suitable for surface mounting, and therefore widely used in electronic circuits. Murata has an unrivaled record in the technology and quality of its chip multilayer ceramic capacitors. Furthermore, in wireless communications, where the dielectric property of reducing the high frequency electromagnetic wavelength is applied, dielectric filters and antennas are key devices for mobile phones.

Wonder Stone -Dielectric Ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window
Chip Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors

Piezoelectric Property

Converting Electric Signals to Oscillations

The unique properties of piezoelectric ceramics -becoming elastic as voltage is applied and generating voltage as impact is applied -are utilized in ceramic filters and piezoelectric vibrating gyroscopes to help boost functionality in TVs and digital cameras.

Image 1 of Piezoelectric Property

Some crystals generate electrical energy when mechanical stress is applied and deform when electrical field is applied. Such behavior is called piezoelectric property. Some ceramics display extraordinary piezoelectric properties. Murata has conducted extensive research into the piezoelectric properties of ceramics to greatly enhance the performance of electronic and communications equipment. Murata offers various piezoelectric products including the CERAFIL ceramic filter, which filters necessary signals to realize superior image and sound reproduction in televisions and radios; the CERALOCK timing clock device for microcomputers; piezoelectric sound components; shock sensors; piezoelectric gyroscopes used for image stabilization in cameras and for automobile navigation systems; and ultrasonic sensors for back sonar systems.

Wonder Stone -Piezoelectric Ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window
Image 2 of Piezoelectric Property

Magnetic Property

Electromagnetic Energy Conversion

Magnetic ceramics (ferrite) are able to absorb a great deal of magnetism when placed in a magnetic field, and at Murata we utilize this property to develop ways to deal with electromagnetic interference, such as EMI suppression filters.

Image 1 of Magnetic Property

Ceramics with magnetic property are called ferrites. Ferrites are classified into two categories, namely hard ferrites with a permanent magnetism and soft ferrites with easier control of magnetism. Since soft ferrites can convert between electric and magnetic energies bi-directionally, we can utilize them to control the magnetic environment of electronic devices electrically. Murata applied this property of soft ferrite to noise suppression components to develop various EMI (electromagnetic interference) filters (EMIFIL). Murata also applied the nonreversible property of ferrite to develop products such as mobile phone isolators.

Wonder Stone -Magnetic Ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window
Image 2 of Magnetic Property

The Handling Products of MURATA

Pyroelectric Property

Rapid Response to Temperature Change

Pyroelectric ceramics react to minute changes in temperature as evidenced by the change in the magnitude of internal polarization, and this property is used in infra-red sensors for detecting human presence.

Image 1 of Pyroelectric Property

Pyroelectric materials generate an electrical charge in response to a slight change in thermal energy, such as exposure to infrared rays. When electrically polarized ceramics are exposed to infrared rays, the polarization structures instantaneously shift, causing the ions absorbed on the surface of the ceramics to move, resulting in generation of an electrical charge. Murata successfully applied this pyroelectric property to mass-produce pyroelectric infrared sensors that can detect human body or temperature change of distant objects. Murata's pyroelectric ceramics answer the needs of the sensor market through contact-free switches and temperature sensors.

Wonder Stone -Pyroelectric Ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window
Image 2 of Pyroelectric Property

The Handling Products of MURATA

Semiconductive Property

Traffic Control for Circuits

Electric conductivity of semiconductor ceramics changes with variation in electric current and temperature making these ceramics useful for controlling household appliances and protecting them from overheating.

Image 1 of Semiconductive Property

Materials having the resistance between those of insulators and conductors are called semiconductors. Some semiconductive ceramics have useful properties of increasing resistance against electric current when the temperature rises to a certain level (positive temperature coefficient). Murata was one the first to apply this property to succeed in mass production of PTC(positive temperature coefficient) thermistors for such applications as circuit protection. Murata also commercialized negative temperature coefficient thermistors, having a property of reduced resistance as the temperature rises, and widely used in temperature sensors and temperature compensators.

Wonder Stone -Semiconductive Ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window
Image 2 of Semiconductive Property

The Handling Products of MURATA

Video:Introduction of electronic ceramics

Ceramics exhibit unique reactions to electrical or environmental changes.
Let's take a look at the basic propaty of electronic ceramics.

Wonder Stone -Introduction of electronic ceramics-

See more videos about Wonder StoneOpen in New Window