Performance and Reliability Study of High Voltage Tantalum Polymer Capacitors

The need for reliable components with smaller form factors continues to drive many of the innovation efforts within the passive components community. For applications requiring the smallest component options available, tantalum chip capacitors remain the best option for capacitance values that exceed the reaches of MLCC capacitors. Today, the best options for higher capacitance needs are being met by both MnO2 and polymer tantalum chip capacitors as well as surface mount aluminum electrolytic capacitors. As with all component technologies, each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses that designers must take into account when making their component selections. Among these are the capacitance range, voltage range, impedance characteristics, reliability, and physical size.