Researchers demonstrate tiny magnetic inductors with more than twice the inductance

University of Florida researchers fabricated tiny magnetic inductors that achieved more than twice the inductance of comparable devices without magnetic cores, the researchers reported. Inductors store energy in a magnetic field and help stabilize power delivered to circuits. The team deposited nickel around iron oxide nanoparticles and placed the composite around an insulated copper strip. An optimized device reached a peak quality factor of 5.3 at 150 megahertz, a 58% improvement over the original fabrication process; this measures inductive behavior relative to electrical loss, rather than complete regulator efficiency. The work establishes a device-level fabrication route for compact power delivery. Heating, reliability and converter performance still need testing, and only 64 of 97 tested devices were functional.