NEC TOKIN Corporation (President: Masakazu Okabe; Head office: Sendai, Japan) has expanded its series of 'FC Series, FCS-type' of surface-mount Supercapacitors (electric double-layer capacitors) that are capable of handling 260°C reflow processes and also capable of operating at a maximum operating temperature of 85°C. Mass production of the series will start in January of next year. An electric double-layer capacitor is an energy storage/supply device  that uses an electric double-layer generated at an interface between activated charcoal and an electrolyte. This type of capacitor has a capacitance of several farads and has characteristics such as being capable of large current discharge and the like. NEC TOKIN is releasing these capacitors on the market for use mainly in memory backup functions for car navigation systems, DVD recorders, and other applications. 　 With these electric double-layer capacitors, in order to improve productivity, demands for surface mount types by reflow soldering have been increasing. NEC TOKIN commercialized the only type (the 5.5 V, 0.10 F model) in the industry that is compatible with a reflow process with a peak temperature of 260°C. 　 Recently, enhancements have been made in these capacitors in aspects ranging from the electrode materials to the internal structure and five new models were added to the series in order to respond to needs for 3.5 V models for amusement devices and the like as well as for even larger capacity capacitors. All of these models will continue on with the specifications of previous models of "being capable of handling 260°C reflow processes and having a maximum operating temperature of 85°C." Most car navigation systems and car audio systems employ surface-mount boards, and the FCS type capacitors can be used safely even in applications like these in which the product is exposed to high temperatures in a car under the scorching sun. Samples of the FCS type are being offered at 120 yen per unit. Full-scale mass production for the series on the scale of one million units is scheduled to begin at the NEC TOKIN plant in Thailand in January of next year.