Advances in high C-V multilayer ceramic chip capacitors

It is pointed out that the multilayer ceramic chip capacitor (MCC) has made great strides in the area of package density, described as the capacitance-voltage (C-V) product divided by the case size. This high-density packaging requirement is manifest in telecommunications, computers, and consumer electronics and other battery-powered products. The increased use of battery-powered products and systems has in turn reduced voltage rating requirements, and therefore allows reduced dielectric thicknesses for MCCCs. The voltage rating for these dense multilayer ceramic chip capacitors was selected at 16 V, to allow for a reasonable factor of safety in most battery-powered applications and because of its typical rating for tantalum capacitors. This technology provides a means for packaging a 16-V, 10-μF capacitor in an EIA 1206 (0.120 in×0.060 in) case size