DC Bias Characteristics of Ceramic Capacitors
Written By: Simon Cen
Abstract:
Most electrical engineers are at least familiar with the different ratings of ceramic capacitors, such as C0G and X7R. In many applications, the meaning of these character codes is relatively unimportant as some other factor, like price or size, may be driving component selection. Designers must be wary, however, as choosing the wrong combination of capacitor dielectric and applied voltage can have critical performance implications for the associated circuit. For class two dielectrics, the change in bulk capacitance with DC bias can be substantial. Understanding why this happens and how to choose a proper ceramic capacitor can eliminate this common pitfall.
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Most electrical engineers are at least familiar with the different ratings of ceramic capacitors, such as C0G and X7R. In many applications, the meaning of these character codes is relatively unimportant as some other factor, like price or size, may be driving component selection. Designers must be wary, however, as choosing the wrong combination of capacitor dielectric and applied voltage can have critical performance implications for the associated circuit. For class two dielectrics, the change in bulk capacitance with DC bias can be substantial. Understanding why this happens and how to choose a proper ceramic capacitor can eliminate this common pitfall.
