As you likely know, capacitors are used in electronic circuits to provide local energy storage and stabilize power supply voltage. Decoupling capacitors are a specific type of capacitor used to isolate or decouple two circuits. In other words, these capacitors decouple AC signals from DC signals or vice versa. Decoupling capacitors act as a buffer, supplying clean and stable power to components, which minimizes the risks of malfunctions, noise coupling, or signal integrity issues.

As electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers work to make batteries more affordable and easier to produce in mass quantities, we’re seeing changes in battery chemistry. For example, the industry is shifting from traditional lithium ion batteries with cobalt to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Rare-earth metals like cobalt are in short supply, and materials like LFP are a more plentiful, sustainable, and efficient alternative.

Radio frequency (RF) and microwave applications involve transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals at high frequencies. While these terms are often used interchangeably, RF means AC signals at 3 kHz to 300 GHz. For microwave, it’s more like 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Capacitors play a central role in these applications because they are concerned with capacitance, naturally, and impedance (i.e., resistance), which vary with frequency. Functionally, these passive electronic components store energy in an electric field. 

To understand what an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter is, and what it does, we need to first know what EMI is and why it needs to be filtered. EMI refers to undesirable electromagnetic emissions or disturbances generated either by electronic devices or natural sources in the environment that can interfere with the proper functioning of other nearby devices or systems. EMI noise can propagate through power supply lines and radiate into the environment, potentially causing disruptions or malfunctions in other electronic systems. For many devices, this could cause big issues, which is why many government organizations have developed regulatory standards for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), or when two pieces of electronic equipment can function in the same environment without adversely impacting one another. 

One of the primary goals in electric vehicles (EVs) is to increase the efficiency of its power conversion devices. The more efficiently power is converted, the further distance the EV can travel on one charge. For example, by reducing losses in a DC-to-DC (or DC/DC) converter, the converter (and overall vehicle) benefits from improved energy efficiency, a more streamlined design, and diminished heating from components.

A deep brain stimulator (DBS), also known as a neuro-stimulator, is a medical device that uses electrical stimulation to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The DBS is typically implanted under the skin near the collarbone or in the abdomen, and connected to a thin wire, or lead, that runs under the skin to the targeted area of the brain as shown in Figure 1. 

Heterogeneous integration (HI) refers to the process of combining a set of electronic components with different functions and material compositions into a single, compact system. Particularly in radio frequency (RF) and microwave applications, HI-based designs accommodate higher functional density and better performance when implemented with application-specific requirements in mind. Integrated Passive Devices (IPDs), like conductors, resistors, vias, traces, and bridges, play a significant role in HI because they’re largely responsible for the resulting performance optimization when components combine.

One of the things all technical disciplines excel at is creating terminology that can trip up those who are not accustomed to speaking the language every day. Take the title of this article for example. These three words sound similar and are definitely inter-related, but they are not inter-changeable.

Innovation in advanced packaging was driven, in part, by advancements in interposer design and construction. Interposers are electronic components designed to sit within a package and connect different circuits and components via interconnects. Thin film interconnects are standard in high-frequency components and subsystems where transmission line widths are small (i.e., .005” and under) to improve overall system performance. They also support high-power applications where thermal conductivity is more of a concern and certain materials like beryllium oxide and aluminum nitride are more commonly used. 

Electronic devices power our world and allow us to communicate. In all applications requiring signal integrity and accurate power amplification, blocking capacitors are used to provide clean waveforms and correctly amplified voltages.