June 13, 2025 /SemiMedia/ — Murata Manufacturing has introduced the FTI Series (FTN21XH502F0SRU), the world’s first NTC thermistor to combine a resin-molded body with wire-bonding compatibility, offering a compact and thermally efficient solution tailored for electric vehicle (EV) power modules.

This dual-innovation structure allows direct mounting near power semiconductors on PCBs, eliminating the need for separate sensor pads and enabling higher density designs. This advancement is crucial for modern EV systems like inverters and DC-DC converters where thermal control and space-saving are critical.

With a guaranteed operating temperature up to 175°C, the FTI Series delivers high thermal reliability in demanding environments. Murata’s proprietary external electrode bonding enhances long-term stability, making the device suitable for next-generation powertrains and high-power control systems.

Positioning the thermistor adjacent to semiconductor components ensures rapid and accurate thermal feedback, which allows designers to reduce thermal margins. This enables a reduction in chip size or number of parallel devices, contributing to smaller module sizes and lower system costs without compromising performance.

Packaged in a 2012 mm (0805 inch) form factor, the thermistor offers a resistance of 5 kΩ ± 1% at 25°C, with a B-constant of 3380 K ± 1%. Murata also plans to expand the product range to include additional resistance options and silver-sintering compatible versions to support evolving automotive power electronics.

“Our aim is to address the increasing demands of automotive thermal design with flexible, high-reliability components,” said Munenori Hikita, Director of Murata’s Functional Devices Division. “The FTI Series represents a key step in supporting thermal management for high-efficiency EV systems.”