In this note, we are going to know about the different types of ceramic capacitors, like – class 1, class 2, class 3, MLCC, and many more. Welcome to Poly Notes Hub, a leading destination for engineering notes.
Author Name: Arun Paul.
Different Types of Ceramic Capacitors – Types, Features, and Applications
Ceramic capacitors are some of the most often used capacitors in electronic circuits. They are manufactured with ceramic materials as the dielectric and come in a variety of forms, sizes, and dielectric classes. Ceramic capacitors are classified according to their construction and performance properties.
1. Class 1 Ceramic Capacitors
Class 1 ceramic capacitors are extremely stable and constructed from low-loss dielectric materials such as C0G/NP0. They provide extremely accurate, temperature-independent capacitance and are employed in precision circuits.
| Property | Details | Example Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | Very high, almost no change with temperature | C0G, NP0 |
| Capacitance | Low range, very accurate | 1 pF–100 nF |
| Applications | RF circuits, oscillators, filters | High-frequency electronics |
2. Class 2 Ceramic Capacitors
Class 2 ceramic capacitors, which use high-K materials such as X7R or Y5V, provide more capacitance in a smaller package. They are less stable than Class 1 but are commonly employed for decoupling and general-purpose applications.
| Property | Details | Example Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | Medium, varies with temperature | X7R, X5R |
| Capacitance | Medium to high | 100 nF–10 µF |
| Applications | Power supply filters, decoupling | Consumer electronics |
3. Class 3 Ceramic Capacitors
Class 3 capacitors use ultra-high dielectric constant materials to provide very high capacitance, however they have little stability and considerable temperature changes.
| Property | Details | Example Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | Low, large variation with temperature/voltage | Y5P, Z5U |
| Capacitance | High | 1 µF–100 µF |
| Applications | Low-frequency filters | Low-cost power circuits |
4. MLCC (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor)
MLCCs are multilayer ceramic capacitors constructed by stacking numerous dielectric and electrode layers to produce high capacitance in a small package.
| Property | Details | Example Types |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Multiple ceramic & metal layers | SMD MLCC |
| Capacitance | Wide range, small size | pF to 100 µF |
| Applications | Mobile devices, laptops, power circuits | All modern electronics |
5. Ceramic Disc Capacitors
Ceramic disc capacitors are older capacitors that are disc-shaped and built of ceramic dielectric discs with leads on either side. They are frequently employed in general-purpose circuits.
| Property | Details | Example Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Round disc structure | 50V–1kV |
| Capacitance | Low | pF to nF |
| Applications | Snubber circuits, simple electronics | Power circuits |
6. High Voltage Ceramic Capacitor
These capacitors are designed to operate at extremely high voltages, typically between 1 kV and 30 kV, and use thick dielectric layers for insulation.
| Property | Details | Voltage Range |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | High, robust construction | High dielectric strength |
| Capacitance | Low to medium | pF to µF |
| Applications | X-ray, laser supplies | 1 kV – 30 kV+ |
7. Safety Capacitors (X & Y Ceramic Capacitors)
Safety capacitors are ceramic capacitors that are specifically built for AC mains filtering and EMI suppression. They are designed to be flame-resistant and failsafe.
| Property | Details | Types |
|---|---|---|
| Safety Rating | UL/IEC certified, flame-proof | X1, X2, Y1, Y2 |
| Capacitance | Low to medium | nF to µF |
| Applications | AC line filter, EMI suppression | SMPS, home appliances |