The Effect of DC Bias on MLCC Class 2 Capacitors

MLCCs (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors) are an extremely popular type of capacitor and found in most electronic designs. They have many attractive attributes - but they do have one dark side that not everyone is aware of: DC bias derating. When Type 2 MMLC capacitors are used in applications where there is a DC voltage across them, the effective capacitance is reduced, sometimes to a large degree. Therefore in applications where there is a high DC voltage present, the loss of capacity can be quite significant. This article by Helix explains what affects this has on the capacitance relative to the capacitance value, voltage rating, physical size, temperature characteristics and how to balance these factors to use the right MLCC part for a given application.

The Effect of DC Bias on MLCC Class 2 Capacitors