At present, many electronic devices around us are inseparable from this small and important component of the capacitor. A capacitor is a device used to store electrical energy, which plays a key role in electronic circuits. At present, a wide variety of capacitors are common on the market, including tantalum capacitors and ceramic capacitors. The materials and properties of these two capacitors are significantly different.
First of all, let’s take a look at the material differences between these two capacitors. As the name suggests, tantalum capacitors use tantalum as a dielectric, while ceramic capacitors use ceramic as a dielectric, and the capacitance of ceramic capacitors is much smaller than that of tantalum capacitors. Tantalum electrolytic capacitors can achieve a small capacity, while ceramic capacitors can achieve a large capacity, it is difficult to achieve the ideal performance, tantalum capacitors are better than ceramic capacitors in most physical properties.
Secondly, the range of use of these two capacitors is also different. Tantalum capacitors can be used for coupling, filtering, oscillating bypass and other frequency range of circuits, while ceramic capacitors are mainly used for high frequency circuits.
In addition, the difference between tantalum capacitors and ceramic capacitors is that the volume of tantalum capacitors is much smaller for the same capacity, and the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of tantalum capacitors is lower than that of electrolytic capacitors, and the life span is longer and can withstand higher temperatures. However, since the main material of tantalum capacitors is expensive tantalum metal, the price of tantalum capacitors is also very expensive. Usually only high-end products that are not affected by price will adopt them.
On the other hand, the capacity of ceramic capacitors is usually not large, and they are usually used together with electrolytic capacitors, mainly as decoupling capacitors. Ceramic capacitors are also relatively inexpensive capacitors. In-line ceramic capacitors are the cheapest and are widely used in many low-end appliances, while multilayer ceramic capacitors are currently the most widely used and can be found in almost all electronic products.
In recent years, with the continuous progress of technology, the capacity of ceramic capacitors has become larger and larger, and 47-micromethod multi-layer ceramic capacitors have appeared. Large-capacity ceramic capacitors are gradually replacing tantalum capacitors, but at present only a few large brands in Japan can manufacture large-capacity ceramic capacitors, so the price is still high, and the price of tantalum capacitors is comparable.
In short, tantalum capacitors and ceramic capacitors have great differences in material and performance. They have different ranges of use and characteristics. In different electronic devices, it is crucial to choose the right capacitor according to the specific needs. With the continuous progress of science and technology, the capacity, performance and application fields of capacitors will continue to develop, bringing more convenient and efficient use experience to our electronic devices.
Post time: Nov-17-2023
