A capacitor's inductance: critical property for certain applications

An overview of the inductive properties of low-voltage capacitors is provided, answering the questions: what is inductance, how is it defined and how is it measured. Typical inductance values are presented to allow some comparisons of alternate capacitor technologies. Impedance vs. frequency and resonance phenomena are examined. Design techniques and choice of form factors and materials to reduce inductance are discussed. The paper includes an overview of the effects of substrate mounting techniques with an emphasis on recent high frequency applications.