1. Capacitor Review Q

2. 1.0uF ~ 1000uF Common SMT Requirements
Capacitance Offering by Technology
1.0uF ~ 1000uF Common SMT Requirements
Ceramic (MLCCs) dominate lower range of capacitance values (0.5pF ~ 10uF)
High Capacitance X5R MLCCs (Cap 10uF ~ 100uF)
Film capacitors cover moderate cap range with increasing sizes with capacitance & voltage rating
Tantalum capacitors cover 0.1uF up to 1000uF in low VDC ratings
Aluminum E-Caps cover wide capacitance value range and supports higher VDC ratings.
Double layer capacitors (Farad values) in use for back-up and short term power applications

3. SMT Capacitor Offering by Technology
1uF ~ 2200uF / 2.5VDC ~ 100VDC
SMT Capacitor Offering by Technology
Capacitance Voltage Range Comparison - SMT Capacitors (1uF ~ 2200uF / 2.5VDC ~ 100VDC )
Voltage
100VDC
80VDC ↑
63VDC
50VDC
35VDC
25VDC
16VDC
12.5VDC
10VDC
8VDC
6.3VDC
4VDC
2.5VDC
Capacitance
1.0uF
2.2uF
3.3uF
4.7uF
10uF
22uF
33uF
47uF
100uF
150uF
220uF
330uF
470uF
1000uF
2200uF
Icon
Type
Format
Component Image
Tantalum Electrolytic
SMT Flat Chip
Ceramic Chip - MLCC
Aluminum Electrolytic
SMT V-Chip
Solid Aluminum Electrolytic
Use NIC QuickBUILDER Tool
to easily select & compare capacitors 

4. SMT Capacitor Technology Comparison
SMT Flat-Chip
Solid Aluminum
Electrolytic
SMT V-Chip Aluminum Electrolytic
SMT
Tantalum
Electrolytic
SMT
MLCC
Ceramic
Lowest Cost
High WVDC
Stability Over Voltage
Higher ESR
Wear-out (time & temperature)
Tallest – Largest Size
SMT V-Chip Aluminum Electrolytic
Small Size
Stability Over Voltage
Stable over Time
Higher Cost
Shorting Failure Mode
Smallest Foot Print
Non-Polarized
Lowest ESR
Unstable over Voltage (VDC)
Unstable over Time (Aging)
Cracking = Short Failure Mode
Higher Cost – High CV
SMT Tantalum Electrolytic
Low ESR - High RCR
Stability Over Voltage
Stable over Time
Higher Cost
Shorting Failure Mode
SMT Flat-Chip Solid Aluminum Electrolytic
SMT MLCC Ceramic

5. Aluminum Electrolytic Tantalum Electrolytic
Capacitor Technology Comparison
Capacitor
Type
Derating
Advantage
Weakness
Voltage
Temp
Pros
Cons
Ceramic
None
 Non-Polarized
 Small Size
 Transient Resistant
 Low Cost
 Large Voltage Coefficient & Aging (X7R, X5R, Y5V)
 Limited cap range
 Short failure mode (Typ)
Film
 Stability: Voltage & Temp
 Large Size
 Higher Cost
 Limited Soldering Heat
Aluminum Electrolytic
 High Cap & High VDC
 Surge VDC Resistant
 Self Healing
 Open failure mode (Typ)
 Stability: Voltage
 Polarized
 Limited Lifetime
Tantalum Electrolytic
Yes
 Long Lifetime
 Small Sizes
 Low VDC
 Limited surge resistance 5

6. Aluminum Electrolytic Tantalum Electrolytic
Capacitor Use Comparison
Capacitor
Type
Sweet Spots
Reasons
Applications
Not suggested
Where most commonly used
Why preferred
Ceramic
Capacitance values up to 10uF
Coupling, filtering and bypass High Voltage (low cap values)
High Frequency (low ESL)
Small hand-held
DC-DC
Lowest Cost
(C<10uF)
Lowest ESL
Low ESR
Smallest size
 AC Line
(Limited to safety agency certified versions)
 X7R, X5R & Y5V:
Circuits requiring stability over VDC, temp or time
 A to D conversion
 Audiophile, Test & Inst
Film
High power applications
AC Line
Motor start
Impedance matching
A to D conversion
Audiophile, Test & Inst
High power capabilities
Self healing of metallized types
 Cost factor prohibits use of film capacitors from use in many applications
Aluminum Electrolytic
Capacitance values above 1uF
Linear & HV Power Supplies
Bulk storage
Filtering & Bypass
Lowest Cost (C>10uF, V>16VDC)
Tolerance to surges
 Timing Applications
 VAC applications
 Avionics
 Harsh Environments
Tantalum Electrolytic
Small Hand-Held
Small size
No wear out
Low Cost
 Input circuits of power supplies (AC-DC & DC-DC) 6

7. Sweet Spots: Case Sizes & Tolerances:
SMT Capacitor Sweet Spots
Sweet Spots: Case Sizes & Tolerances:
Device
Type
Sweet Spot Package
Sweet Spot
Tolerances
Notes
SMT Capacitors
MLCC
 ≥ 0805 
NPO = 5% (J) X7R = 10% (K) High Cap X5R = 10% (K) & 20% (M) Y5V = +80%/-20% (Z)
X5R (1uF ~ 100uF) X7R (0.01uF ~ 1uF) Y5V for non critical applications
Film
0805 & 1206
2% (G) & 5% (J)
PPS film best choice for SAC Alloy reflow soldering
Alum
E-cap
5x x x8
20% is suggested tolerance
Long LT on larger sizes (>8mm diameter) limited global capacity
Tant
J, P, A, A2 reduced sizes
10% (K) & 20% (M)
High Cap >10uF Lower profile and stability over MLCCs
Trends - Suggestions
X5R dominates ≥1uF, X7R limited to higher VDC ratings
Avoid use of tolerances tighter than shown above
Use Alum E-caps over Tant E-caps in higher voltage (and transient risky) applications
Use film caps only when performance requirements warrant

8. Tantalum Material Cost >200% increase over last 12 months
Material Costs Trend: Tantalum E-Caps
Tantalum Material Cost >200% increase over last 12 months
Price Index
2009
2010

9. Suggestions to Mitigate Potential Tantalum Capacitor Issues:
Capacitor Options
Suggestions to Mitigate Potential Tantalum Capacitor Issues:
… Price Increases and , or Shortages:
Plan and purchase as early as possible
Consider switch to reduced case size tantalum electrolytic capacitors as less price increase expected & larger production capacity in smaller case sizes
Consider use of liquid electrolyte aluminum electrolytic capacitors for high capacitance & high voltage (VDC) replacements; “V-Chip”
For large (D-V-E case sizes; 7343 size*) consider use of solid polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors in same case size (* fit same PCB foot print & land pads)
Consider use of MLCCs (X5R) for low capacitance & low voltage replacements
Contact NIC to review your requirements [ NIC technical support ]

10. For SMT Tantalum Capacitors
MLCCs replacements
For SMT Tantalum Capacitors
SMT Tantalum Cap Specifications:
 X7R MLCC Cap Specifications:
Please Note The Following:
High capacitance MLCCs (such as those listed below) will exhibit capacitance change with applied voltage, over temperature, over time and may exhibit piezoelectric properties not seen with tantalum electrolytic capacitors.
Please review your application with NIC technical
Common 1.0uF C-V Sizes
Cap Code
Cap
Voltage
Size Code
Size English
Size Metric
NIC TANTALUM PN
Alternative
NIC MLCC PN
Notes
105
1.0uF
10VDC P
0805
2012
NTC-T105K10TRPF
NMC0805X7R105K10TRPF
Same Size, Same CV A2
1206
3216
NTC-T105M10TRA2F
NMC1206X7R105K16TRPF
Same Size, Higher VDC
16VDC J
0603
1608
NTC-T105M16TRJF
NMC0603X7R105K16TRPF A
NTC-T105K16TRAF
20VDC
NTC-T105K20TRAF
NMC1206X7R105K25TRPLP3KF
25VDC
NTC-T105K25TRAF
35VDC
NTC-T105K35TRAF
NMC1206X7R105K50TRPLPF B
1411
3528
NTC-T105K35TRBF
NMC1210X7R105K100TRPLP1K
Smaller Size, Higher VDC
50VDC C
2412
6032
NTC-T105K50TRCF
SMT MLCC Ceramic
SMT
Tantalum
Electrolytic
Replace With

11.  www.niccomp.com/quickbuilder/qb_capacitor.php
Compare Capacitors 
NIC QuickBUILDER
Component selection and comparison tool / Provides comparison of different type capacitors
Such as comparing tantalum electrolytic to aluminum electrolytic, or MLCC ceramic capacitors
Example below shows 47uF, 10VDC comparison; MnO2 cathode tantalum, Polymer cathode tantalum & X5R ceramic MLCC

12. Contact NIC to review your requirements
Need Help?
Contact NIC to review your requirements
[ NIC technical support ]