1.5 µH shielded power inductor for DC-DC input/output filtering
The Murata DFE2HCAH1R5MJ0L is a 1.5 µH shielded wirewound inductor in the DFE2H series, rated for 2.3 A continuous current with a saturation current floor of 2.9 A. The 74 mOhm maximum DCR sets the I²R conduction loss — at full rated current the self-heating is roughly 0.4 W, which the 1008 package dissipates into the PCB copper plane. The -40°C to +150°C operating range covers under-hood and engine-bay ambient temperatures with margin for self-heating.
Current rating vs saturation — which one governs your rail
The 2.3 A continuous current rating is the thermal limit at rated ambient; the 2.9 A saturation current (Isat) is the point where inductance drops by 30% typical. For a buck converter output inductor, the peak inductor current (DC plus ripple) must stay below Isat to avoid abrupt inductance roll-off that increases ripple and stresses the output capacitors. For a filter choke on a steady DC rail, the 2.3 A thermal limit is the binding constraint. Inductance is tested at 1 MHz — the core material (metal composite) maintains its permeability up into the low-MHz switching range typical of automotive DC-DC converters. The ±20% tolerance on 1.5 µH means the actual inductance at 1 MHz falls between 1.2 µH and 1.8 µH; account for this spread in the feedback compensation zero.
Shielded metal-composite core for EMI-sensitive layouts
The shielded construction contains the magnetic flux within the core — stray field coupling to adjacent signal traces or other inductors on the same rail is minimal. The metal composite core also keeps the core losses lower than ferrite at high ripple currents, which matters when the inductor sees a large AC flux swing in a buck regulator. The low profile suits board-to-board spacing in stacked PCB assemblies or compact ECU enclosures.