Where are air-core inductors commonly used?

Air core inductors are often used in electronic circuits that require high-frequency performance and low loss. Unlike inductors with magnetic cores, air-core inductors do not have magnetic materials such as ferrite or iron powder filled inside the winding, thus avoiding the saturation of the magnetic core at high frequencies and the resulting energy losses such as hysteresis loss and eddy current loss.

This structural characteristic makes air core inductors particularly suitable for playing a key role in high-frequency and even radio frequency fields. For example, in high-frequency oscillators, radio frequency amplifiers, and various high-efficiency filters (such as LC filters, bandpass/bandstop filters), they can work stably and provide precise inductance values and extremely low energy loss, maintain high Q values (quality factors), and ensure the purity and efficiency of signal processing. Especially in radio communication equipment, radar systems, satellite receiving devices, and instruments that require precise tuning, air-core inductors are one of the core passive components for building key resonant circuits and frequency selection networks.

At the same time, in high-power RF applications such as induction heating equipment or large transmitters, air core inductors are also used because they have no risk of core saturation and can withstand large DC bias currents. In addition, in precision measurement equipment and calibration circuits that require highly stable inductance, good linearity, and no hysteresis, air core inductors have become a reliable choice due to their stable physical structure and predictable inductance characteristics. Therefore, when the design faces challenges such as high frequency, high Q value, high linearity, and avoiding magnetic saturation, air-core inductors are often the basic components that engineers give priority to.