Vishay - Low-ESR tantalum capacitors make a difference in circuit designs

When choosing a capacitor for any application, there are a few key characteristics that must be understood in order to analyze its suitability for the circuit. In a simple capacitor equivalent circuit model, there are three key characteristics that affect circuit performance: capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR), and inductance. The magnitude of these elements — and how they change over temperature, frequency, and applied voltage — are different for each capacitor technology.

In this technical note, we will examine the ways in which ESR in tantalum capacitors affects circuit performance. ESR is the sum of all of the purely resistive contributors to the capacitor’s impedance. As such, it is the characteristic that creates losses due to heating. It also affects the magnitude of charge and discharge currents as the capacitor does its work Read More…

Source: Electronic Products
Charles Pothier