680 nH, 5 A — the power-rail inductor for DC-DC input and output filters
The Murata DFE32CAHR68MR0L is a 680 nH shielded wirewound power inductor rated for 5 A continuous with a saturation current floor of 7 A. The 17 mOhm max DCR keeps I²R losses low enough that a 5 A rail dissipates under half a watt — the 1210 footprint handles that without forced air in most layouts. This is a metal-core construction, not ferrite — the core material doesn't saturate as abruptly, so the inductance roll-off past the rated current is gradual rather than a cliff. That matters when the downstream converter hits a transient and the inductor current spikes above the DC bias point.
AEC-Q200 and the 150°C ceiling — where this part lives on the board
Rated AEC-Q200, the DFE32CAHR68MR0L is qualified for automotive-grade stress — thermal shock, vibration, and bias humidity per the AEC-Q200 passive-component standard. The -55°C to 150°C operating range covers under-hood ambient plus self-heating margin; a 5 A rail at 85°C ambient still leaves headroom before the part hits its 150°C limit.
1210 footprint and shielded construction — layout constraints
Shielded construction reduces radiated flux coupling into adjacent sense lines or feedback traces — a real concern when the inductor sits within 2 mm of a switcher's FB node. Inductance is tested at 1 MHz, which is the typical switching frequency band for point-of-load converters in the 500 kHz to 2 MHz range.
