3/4/2020 Capacitor Selection for Coupling and Decoupling Applications – Passive Components Blog

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Capacitor Selection for

Coupling and Decoupling
Applications
1.3.2018 5 min read  0  0

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Simon Ndiritu from General Dielectrics explains some basic capacitor selection guide for
coupling and decoupling applications.

Capacitors are fundamental components in both analog and digital electronic circuits.
These passive components play an important role in in uencing the operational
behavior of circuits. The characteristics of a capacitor vary mainly depending on the
dielectric material used. The dielectric material determines the capacitance value,
energy ef ciency, and size of a capacitor. Fixed value capacitors can be broadly
categorized into two: polar and non-polar capacitors. Non-polar capacitors include
ceramic, lm, and paper capacitors. Aluminium electrolytic capacitors and tantalum
capacitors are polar components.

In circuits, capacitors are used for a wide range of applications including storing
electrical charges, blocking DC components, bypassing AC components, ltering
unwanted signals, and so on. The applications of a capacitor primarily depend on its
characteristics. Key properties to consider when selecting a capacitor for a given
application include capacitance value, voltage rating, frequency response
characteristics, cost, and physical size. Other properties of a capacitor that can
in uence the performance of an electronic circuit include temperature characteristics,
self-healing properties, aging, and ammability.

Coupling capacitors
Coupling capacitors are used in electronic circuits to pass the desired AC signal and
block unwanted DC components. These unwanted DC signals come from electronic
devices or preceding stages of an electronic circuit. In audio systems, DC components
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affect the quality of the desired signal by introducing noise. Furthermore, DC signals 
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affect the performance of power ampli ers and increase distortion. In circuits, a
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3/4/2020 Capacitor Selection for Coupling and Decoupling Applications – Passive Components Blog

coupling capacitor is connected in series with the signal path. Coupling capacitors are
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used in analog as well as digital electronic circuits. They nd many applications in audio
and radio frequency systems.

The reactive nature of a capacitor allows it to respond to different frequencies

differently. In coupling applications, a capacitor blocks low frequency DC signals and
allows high frequency AC signals to pass. To low frequency components, such as the DC
signals, a capacitor exhibits high impedance, thereby blocking them. On the other hand,
a capacitor exhibits low impedance to high frequency components. This allows high
frequency signals such as AC components to pass.

In audio systems, DC sources are used to power audio circuits. However, since the audio
signal is usually an AC signal, the DC component is unwanted on the output. To prevent
the DC signal from appearing on the output device, a coupling capacitor is added in
series with the load.

Coupling capacitors are essential components in ampli er circuits. They are used to
prevent interference of a transistor’s bias voltage by AC signals. In most ampli er
circuits, this is achieved by driving the signal to the base terminal of a transistor through
a coupling capacitor. When a capacitor with the correct capacitance value is serially
connected, the useful signal is allowed to pass while the DC component is blocked.

Presence of DC components on a transmission line can signi cantly affect the

performance of a digital circuit. In communication systems, coupling capacitors are
used to block unwanted DC components. Blocking the DC component helps to minimize
energy loss and prevent accumulation of charge in digital circuits.

Types of capacitors for coupling applications

When selecting a capacitor for coupling/DC blocking applications, the key parameters to
consider include impedance, equivalent series resistance, and series resonant
frequency. The capacitance value primarily depends on the frequency range of the
application and the load/source impedance. The types of capacitors that are commonly
used for coupling applications include lm, ceramic, tantalum, aluminium electrolytic,
and aluminium organic/polymer electrolytic capacitors.

Tantalum capacitors offer high stability at high capacitance values, and they are
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ESR and are more expensive. For coupling applications, tantalum capacitors are more
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popular than ceramic capacitors.

Aluminium electrolytic capacitors are cheaper than tantalum capacitors. They offer
stable capacitance and have ESR characteristics similar to tantalum capacitors.
However, these capacitors are relatively large in size and not recommended for circuits
with limited circuit board space. Aluminium electrolytic capacitors are widely used for
coupling applications in power ampli ers.

Ceramic capacitors are inexpensive and available in small SMT packages. These
capacitors are cheaper compared to tantalum capacitors. Although ceramic capacitors
are commonly used in audio and RF applications, they are generally unsuitable for
applications that demand superior performance.

The large physical sizes of lm capacitors limit their applications in AC coupling. If

space is not an issue, polypropylene and polyester capacitors have characteristics that
make them a good choices for coupling applications in pre-amp circuits.

Decoupling capacitors
Some electronic circuits are highly sensitive to voltage spikes, and rapid voltage
changes can greatly affect their performance. Decoupling capacitors are used in
electronic circuits to prevent quick voltage changes by acting as electrical energy
reservoirs. In case of a sudden voltage drop, a decoupling capacitor provides the
electrical energy required to maintain a stable voltage supply. On the other hand, if
there is a sudden voltage spike, the capacitor stabilizes voltage by absorbing the excess
energy.

Apart from stabilizing voltage in electronic circuits, decoupling capacitors are also used
to allow DC components to pass while shorting AC components to ground. Capacitors
that are used for bypassing AC noise in electronic circuits are also commonly known as
bypass capacitors. Bypass capacitors absorb AC noise to produce a cleaner DC signal.

To remove AC noise, a bypass capacitor is placed in parallel with a resistor. A capacitor

offers high resistance to low frequency signals and less resistance to high frequency
signals. As such, low frequency DC components use the resistor path while high
frequency AC components are shunted to ground through the bypass capacitor. This
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Types of capacitors for decoupling applications

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When selecting a capacitor for decoupling applications, it is critical to consider the
electrical requirements of the design. The key parameters to consider when selecting a
bypass capacitor include the lowest frequency of the AC signal and resistance value of
the resistor. In most cases, the lowest frequency is 50 Hz.

Although different types of capacitors are available for decoupling/bypassing

applications, their characteristics vary markedly depending on the dielectric material
used and structure. The two determine temperature stability, linearity, voltage rating,
physical size and cost. The types of capacitors that are commonly used for decoupling
applications include ceramic, tantalum, and aluminium electrolytic capacitors.

The performance and cost of ceramic capacitors make them a popular option for
decoupling applications. These capacitors have low equivalent series resistance (ESR)
and equivalent series inductance (ESL). In addition, multi-layer ceramic capacitors
(MLCCs) are available in a wide range of packages and capacitance values. Ceramic
capacitors are an excellent option for decoupling applications in HF circuits.

Switching type aluminium electrolytic capacitors are commonly used for decoupling
applications in low frequency and medium frequency electronic circuits. These
capacitors are inexpensive,available in a wide range of capacitance values, and have
high capacitance-to-volume ratio. However, aluminium electrolytic capacitors exhibit
temperature related wear out and have high ESR at low temperatures. These capacitors
are widely used for decoupling applications in consumer products.

Solid tantalum capacitors have high CV, and they are less susceptible to wear out.
Furthermore, they exhibit impressive stability at low temperatures. As compared to
aluminium electrolytic capacitors, tantalum capacitors have higher capacitance-to-
volume ratios and lower ESR. On the ip side, tantalum capacitors are expensive and
limited to low voltage applications, usually up to 50 V. These capacitors are commonly
used in higher reliability applications.

Film capacitors such as polyester, polypropylene, Te on, and polystyrene capacitors

have limited decoupling applications. Although these capacitors are suitable for high
voltage applications and are less susceptible to wear out, the cost of producing them is
relatively high. Nevertheless, the characteristics of these capacitors make them suitable
options for high voltage, high current, and audio decoupling applications.
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Conclusion
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Capacitors are fundamental components in both analog and digital electronic circuits.
They are used for a wide range of applications including coupling, decoupling, ltering,
and timing applications. Coupling capacitors allow AC components to pass while
blocking DC components. Decoupling capacitors are used in electronic circuits as
energy reservoirs to prevent quick voltage changes. Bypassing capacitors clean DC
signals by shunting unwanted AC components to ground. A capacitor signi cantly
determines the performance, lifetime, and reliability of an electronic circuit. As such, it
is advisable to use high quality components, preferably from franchised distributors or
direct from the manufacturer.

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