---
title: Best Practices for Maximizing the Performance of Our Surface-Mount Filters
description: To ensure our customers achieve optimal performance and are successful with our surface-mount filters, we have compiled these best practices and resources.
image: https://blog.knowlescapacitors.com/hubfs/PCBlayoutfor5Gfilter.png
---

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    - [Trimmer](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Capacitors/Trimmer.aspx)
    - [Aluminum Capacitors](https://www.cde.com/capacitors/aluminum-electrolytic/)
    - [Film Capacitors](https://www.cde.com/capacitors/film-paper-film-capacitors/)
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    - [Filter Technology](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Filter-Technology)
    - [5G Filters](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/5G-Filters)
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    - [Lowpass Filters](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Lowpass-Filters.aspx)
    - [Highpass Filters](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Highpass-Filters.aspx)
    - [Cavity Filters](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Cavity-Filters.aspx)
    - [Couplers](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Couplers.aspx)
    - [Custom Design Filters](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Custom-Design-Filters.aspx)
    - [Gain Equalizers](http://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Gain-Equalizers.aspx)
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    - [Planars and Discoidals](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/EMI/Planars-and-Discoidals)
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## Knowles Precision Devices Blog

# Best Practices for Maximizing the Performance of Our Surface-Mount Filters

Posted by [Pierre Nadeau](https://blog.knowlescapacitors.com/blog/author/pierre-nadeau) on Mar 4, 2020 9:26:00 AM

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

The Knowles Precision Devices DLI brand of microstrip bandpass filters offers innovative filter topologies yielding excellent performance in a small footprint when fabricated on high DK temp stable ceramic substrate materials. Since our customers use our surface-mount filters in a wide range of applications, we’ve designed our devices so they can be used on most RF PCB materials. To ensure our customers achieve optimal performance and are successful with our filters, we have compiled a number of best practices and resources, which are outlined below.

#### Referencing Recommended PCB Layouts

Every Knowles Precision Devices DLI brand filter has a variety of resources readily available on the [bandpass filters page of our website](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Products/Microwave-Products/Bandpass-Filters), including copies of the recommended PCB layout files like the example shown below.

![PCBlayoutfor5Gfilter](https://blog.knowlescapacitors.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PCBlayoutfor5Gfilter.png?width=600&name=PCBlayoutfor5Gfilter.png)

 

On this page you can find the filter you are interested in by searching using either the actual filter name or frequency ranges, shown below. The “design files” column for every filter includes all the available resources with the information you need to guide you through the best practices for the space needed to properly mount your filter.

 

![filterscreenshot](https://blog.knowlescapacitors.com/hs-fs/hubfs/filterscreenshot.png?width=600&name=filterscreenshot.png)

 

#### Solder: Less is Generally More

One of the most common issues we see when a customer is experiencing performance below what was expected is that too much solder was used to mount the filter to the board. In general, we recommend a finished solder thickness of 2-3 mil. Using more solder than this can negatively impact RF performance. For the best performance that will come as close as possible to matching the measured S parameters provided, we strongly recommend downloading and following our **[surface mount filter guidelines](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/getmedia/fcc32163-de07-47b9-9eb4-d8cf34bdaa2a/Surface_Mount_Filter_Tech_Sheet_6-2011)**.

If for some reason your manufacturing process requires your filter to be mounted in a way that different than our recommendations, particularly in terms of the amount of solder needed, please **[contact us](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Contact)**. Customer success is our priority and we’d be happy to work with you to adapt the filter design to meet your production needs. Our solutions in these instances could range from implementing solder dam material on top of the filter to protect the unprotected gold areas to adding an epoxy via fill.

**[Contact us to discuss any questions you may have about our surface mount filters](https://www.knowlescapacitors.com/Contact)**.

 Topics: [RF and Microwave](https://blog.knowlescapacitors.com/blog/tag/rf-and-microwave)

## Insights Into Precision Passive Devices

Knowles Precision Devices is a premier global source for Capacitors, RF Filters, EMI Filters, Resonators, non-magnetic components and advanced dielectric materials. An umbrella for the brands of **Compex**, **DLI**, **Johanson MFG**, **Novacap**, **Syfer** and **Voltronics**, Knowles Precision Devices serves a variety of markets including military, aerospace/avionics, medical equipment, implantable devices, EMI and connector filtering, oil exploration, instrumentation, industrial electronics, automotive, telecoms and data networks.

This Blog will provide insights into:

- Filters for 5G and mmWave
- Capacitors for High Voltage
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