Surface-Mount RF Capacitors Squeeze Into 0201 Footprint

July 5, 2004

Silicon-based RF capacitors in a 0201 footprint give designers another weapon in the effort to create smaller, more powerful wireless communications products. Developed by Vishay Intertechnology, the HPC0201A caps measure 0.024 by 0.012 by just 0.009 in. They best suit voltage-controlled oscillators, filter and matching networks, RF wireless communications modules, and medical applications like implantable defibrillators.

The single-contact configuration of the capacitors eliminates the "tombstoning" problem that plagues pc-board assembly when using conventional capacitors with wraparound terminations. They feature extremely stable capacitance values over a wide range of frequencies from 1 MHz to several gigahertz.

Also, the capacitors boast tight tolerances as low as ±1% or 0.05 pF, ultra-high self-resonant frequencies, and low parasitic inductance of about 0.035 nH. For example, a 39-pF capacitor offers twice the capacitance in one-fourth the space occupied by a conventional RF capacitor in an 0402 footprint. They operate from −55°C to 125°C.

The capacitors are available in 44 standard options ranging from 0.4 to 39 pF. They're rated for 6-, 10-, 16-, and 25-V operation. Temperature coefficient of capacitance is rated at 0 ±30 ppm/°C, and insulation resistance is 10¹¹ Ω minimum. Devices with nonstandard capacitance values and lead-free solder are also available on request.

Samples of the silicon capacitors have a lead time of stock to 10 weeks. With ±2% tolerance, the capacitors cost $0.058 each in production quantities. Design kits are also available.

Vishay Intertechnology Inc. www.vishay.com (610) 640-4903

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.