Capacitors-various dielectrics and their applications

Proper component selection is the first step in building reliable equipment. To select the correct capacitor to be used, the design must know as much as possible about the different types. The designer should know the advantages and disadvantage; the behavior under various environmental conditions; the construction; the effect of circuits on capacitors; and what makes capacitors fail. This paper addresses the different types of capacitors and gives some guidance in their applications. The following types of capacitor are discussed: ceramic, plastic film, aluminium electrolytic, tantalum, glass, and mica.