Physical Interpretation of the Tantalum Chip Capacitor Life-Test Results

Tantalum chip capacitors that survived accelerated life tests at 85°C and 2.5 times the rated voltage exhibited different dc electrical relationships prior to the accelerated life tests than did tantalum chip capacitors that failed the tests. This useful dc characterization may be interpreted in terms of the presence of an effcient blocking barrier between the MnO
2
cathode and the Ta
2
0
5
dielectric film in good capacitors and the absence of the barrier in defective capacitors.