Loss of ceramic capacitors

What are the different types of ceramic capacitors?

There are 2 basic classes: Class 1 ceramic capacitors are highly thermally stable, and present low losses. Class 2 have large capacitance. The dielectric is a very thin film, typically smaller than 1m. Also widely used. Well suited for high frequencies and high pulsed currents.

Do ceramic capacitors have low ESR?

Ceramic capacitors have very low ESR, but capacitance is reduced greatly with high bias voltage and can be expensive for large values. Ceramic capacitors are best for high frequency and large-value electrolytic capacitors are good for low frequency.

Are low loss capacitors good for RF power amplifiers?

Capacitors exhibiting high ESR loss would consume and waste excessive battery power due to increased I2 ESR loss. Increased power output and higher efficiency from RF power amplifiers are more easily attainable with low loss capacitor products.

How can low loss capacitors improve the efficiency of small signal level amplifiers?

The effective gain and efficiency of small signal level amplifiers can be increased by the use of low loss capacitors. As an example, the thermal noise (KTB) of a low noise amplifier (LNA) can be minimized by employing low loss ceramic capacitors in the design.

What is dielectric loss tangent of ceramic capacitors?

Dielectric loss tangent of ceramic capacitors is dependant upon specific characteristics of the dielectric formulation, level of impurities, as well as microstructural factors such as grain size, morphology, and porosity (density). Each dielectric material has an associated loss factor or loss tangent.

What happens if a capacitor loses ESR?

For example, if the device impedance is 1 ohm and the capacitor exhibits an ESR of 0.8 ohm, approximately 40 percent of the power will be dissipated by the capacitor due to ESR loss. This results in a decrease of efficiency and lower output power. High RF power applications also require low loss capacitors.