Inductors are critical storage components in power converters. Their large size is, however, a major bottleneck for power module integration and efficient power management. High-density inductors can migrate the power converter close to the load. This can lead to lower losses and more efficient and granular power delivery. However, traditional magnetic materials cannot achieve high power density and current handling. Nanomagnetic films provide unique opportunities to enhance permeability, reduce core losses, and integrate inductors close to the chip. Introduction of magnetic anisotropy into the films provides an additional degree of freedom to further enhance current handling. This chapter reviews the fundamentals of nanomagnetic materials and designs for inductor cores with various topologies and illustrates their superiority over traditional materials. Such films can also be applied to RF components for improved inductance density.
