Mica Capacitors:

We offer a range of high voltage mica capacitors, rated from 300V to 1kV, with capacitance from 1pF to 4700pF.There are two types of mica capacitor: Clamped and Silver. However, the clamped types are now obsolete, so any modern reference to a mica capacitor can be assumed to mean the silver mica capacitor type. Silver mica capacitors are high precision, stable and reliable capacitors. They are available in small values, and are mostly used at high frequencies and in cases where low losses (high Q) and low capacitor change over time is desired.

What are mica capacitors used for?

Silver mica capacitors are indispensable in some custom applications. Circuit designers turn to mica capacitors for high-power applications such as RF transmitters and electric instruments and amplifiers because cheaper ceramic and porcelain capacitors cannot withstand heat as well. Silver mica remains widely used in high-voltage applications, due to mica’s high breakdown voltage.They are also found in power RF circuits where stability is of utmost importance. Silver mica capacitors are used in high frequency tuned circuits, such as filters and oscillators. They are sometimes used in pulsed applications as snubbers.Silver Mica capacitors are used at 100 V to 10 kV, ranging from a few pF up to a few nF, and the average temperature coefficient is around 50 ppm/°C.

What is the difference between mica and ceramic capacitors?

As described above, silver mica capacitors are used in applications which call for low capacitance values and high stability, while exhibiting low losses. Their main use is in power RF circuits where stability is of the utmost importance.Ceramic capacitors are a good replacement for mica capacitors in low power RF applications. If capacitance tolerances and low losses are an important factor, Class 1 ceramic capacitors can be used, since these capacitors have similar tolerances at a fraction of the price.