Silicon Capacitors

Silicon capacitors are a type of capacitor that uses silicon as the dielectric material in their construction. Unlike traditional ceramic or tantalum capacitors, silicon capacitors leverage the unique properties of silicon to offer a combination of high stability, low leakage current, and excellent performance across a broader temperature range. A silicon capacitor is known for its robust temperature stability, precision, low profile, and reliability. This makes these capacitors suitable for applications requiring high reliability and small form factors.   

Why Buy Silicon Capacitors?

Silicon capacitors offer several advantages. Their key strengths include exceptional stability of capacitance over temperature and voltage, low leakage current, which is crucial for sensitive circuits, and high reliability due to the robust nature of silicon. Additionally, the low profile and small size of a silicon capacitor make it perfect for compact electronic devices where space is at a premium.

Types of Silicon Capacitors:

Silicon capacitors can be broadly classified into a few types based on their construction and intended use. These include:   

• MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) Capacitors – These are the most common type, utilising a silicon dioxide layer as the dielectric. They are further categorised into n-channel MOS and p-channel MOS capacitors, depending on the type of semiconductor used.
• MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) Capacitors – These are similar to MOS capacitors, but they use a different insulating material besides silicon dioxide, offering potential advantages in specific applications.
• Trench Capacitors – These capacitors are formed by etching trenches into the silicon substrate and filling them with a dielectric material. This structure increases the capacitance per unit area, enabling higher capacitance values in a smaller footprint.   

Typical Uses of Silicon Capacitors:

Silicon capacitors find applications in a variety of electronic devices, particularly where their stability and reliability are critical.  Some typical uses include: 

• High-Frequency Circuits
• Precision Analogue Circuits
• Consumer Electronics
• Medical Devices 
• Automotive Industry
• Aerospace and Defense 
• Telecommunications
• Microcontrollers and Microprocessors.