Passive Components Blog
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • NewsFilter
    • All
    • Aerospace & Defence
    • Antenna
    • Applications
    • Automotive
    • Capacitors
    • Circuit Protection Devices
    • electro-mechanical news
    • Filters
    • Fuses
    • Inductors
    • Industrial
    • Integrated Passives
    • inter-connect news
    • Market & Supply Chain
    • Market Insights
    • Medical
    • Modelling and Simulation
    • New Materials & Supply
    • New Technologies
    • Non-linear Passives
    • Oscillators
    • Passive Sensors News
    • Resistors
    • RF & Microwave
    • Telecommunication
    • Weekly Digest

    Vishay Releases DLA Tantalum Polymer Capacitors for Military and Aerospace

    Vishay Expanded Inductor Portfolio With More Than 2000 Stock Items 

    Paumanok Releases Capacitor Foils Market Report 2025-2030

    Modelithics Welcomes CapV as a Sponsoring MVP

    Wk 40 Electronics Supply Chain Digest

    Benefits of Tantalum Powder Stress–Strain Curve Evaluation vs Conventional Wet Test

    Electrolyte Selection and Performance in Supercapacitors

    Connector PCB Design Challenges

    Researchers Demonstrated High Energy Ceramic Capacitors Stable in Wide Temperature Range

    Trending Tags

    • Ripple Current
    • RF
    • Leakage Current
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
    • Snubber
    • Low ESR
    • Feedthrough
    • Derating
    • Dielectric Constant
    • New Products
    • Market Reports
  • VideoFilter
    • All
    • Antenna videos
    • Capacitor videos
    • Circuit Protection Video
    • Filter videos
    • Fuse videos
    • Inductor videos
    • Inter-Connect Video
    • Non-linear passives videos
    • Oscillator videos
    • Passive sensors videos
    • Resistor videos

    Connector PCB Design Challenges

    Efficient Power Converters: Duty Cycle vs Conduction Losses

    Ripple Steering in Coupled Inductors: SEPIC Case

    SEPIC Converter with Coupled and Uncoupled Inductors

    Coupled Inductors in SEPIC versus Flyback Converters

    Non-Linear MLCC Class II Capacitor Measurements Challenges

    Percolation Phenomenon and Reliability of Molded Power Inductors in DC/DC converters

    Root Causes and Effects of DC Bias and AC in Ceramic Capacitors

    How to Calculate the Output Capacitor for a Switching Power Supply

    Trending Tags

    • Capacitors explained
    • Inductors explained
    • Resistors explained
    • Filters explained
    • Application Video Guidelines
    • EMC
    • New Products
    • Ripple Current
    • Simulation
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Suppliers
    • Who is Who
  • Events
  • Home
  • NewsFilter
    • All
    • Aerospace & Defence
    • Antenna
    • Applications
    • Automotive
    • Capacitors
    • Circuit Protection Devices
    • electro-mechanical news
    • Filters
    • Fuses
    • Inductors
    • Industrial
    • Integrated Passives
    • inter-connect news
    • Market & Supply Chain
    • Market Insights
    • Medical
    • Modelling and Simulation
    • New Materials & Supply
    • New Technologies
    • Non-linear Passives
    • Oscillators
    • Passive Sensors News
    • Resistors
    • RF & Microwave
    • Telecommunication
    • Weekly Digest

    Vishay Releases DLA Tantalum Polymer Capacitors for Military and Aerospace

    Vishay Expanded Inductor Portfolio With More Than 2000 Stock Items 

    Paumanok Releases Capacitor Foils Market Report 2025-2030

    Modelithics Welcomes CapV as a Sponsoring MVP

    Wk 40 Electronics Supply Chain Digest

    Benefits of Tantalum Powder Stress–Strain Curve Evaluation vs Conventional Wet Test

    Electrolyte Selection and Performance in Supercapacitors

    Connector PCB Design Challenges

    Researchers Demonstrated High Energy Ceramic Capacitors Stable in Wide Temperature Range

    Trending Tags

    • Ripple Current
    • RF
    • Leakage Current
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
    • Snubber
    • Low ESR
    • Feedthrough
    • Derating
    • Dielectric Constant
    • New Products
    • Market Reports
  • VideoFilter
    • All
    • Antenna videos
    • Capacitor videos
    • Circuit Protection Video
    • Filter videos
    • Fuse videos
    • Inductor videos
    • Inter-Connect Video
    • Non-linear passives videos
    • Oscillator videos
    • Passive sensors videos
    • Resistor videos

    Connector PCB Design Challenges

    Efficient Power Converters: Duty Cycle vs Conduction Losses

    Ripple Steering in Coupled Inductors: SEPIC Case

    SEPIC Converter with Coupled and Uncoupled Inductors

    Coupled Inductors in SEPIC versus Flyback Converters

    Non-Linear MLCC Class II Capacitor Measurements Challenges

    Percolation Phenomenon and Reliability of Molded Power Inductors in DC/DC converters

    Root Causes and Effects of DC Bias and AC in Ceramic Capacitors

    How to Calculate the Output Capacitor for a Switching Power Supply

    Trending Tags

    • Capacitors explained
    • Inductors explained
    • Resistors explained
    • Filters explained
    • Application Video Guidelines
    • EMC
    • New Products
    • Ripple Current
    • Simulation
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Suppliers
    • Who is Who
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
Passive Components Blog
No Result
View All Result

Feedthrough Capacitors Technology and Applications

24.8.2022
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A

This post provides an overview of feedthrough capacitors technologies, types and some typical applications.

Capacitor Geometry

One of the factors that greatly determine the performance characteristics of a capacitor is its geometry. The geometry of a typical feedthrough a capacitor differs from that of conventional capacitors. It is this structural difference that gives them their outstandingly good insertion loss characteristics.This low insertion loss is due to a design that ensures that the ground terminal side has zero residual inductance.

RelatedPosts

Insertion Loss and Performance in EMI Filtering

Protecting Implantable Medical Devices From EMI Electromagnetic Interference

Good Things Come in Small Packages: A Capacitor Technology Update

The current carrying conductor of a feedthrough capacitor is connected to an electrode that runs through the centre of the component. The second electrode is contacted to its case. This concentric geometry is responsible for their outstanding performance characteristics. The special dimensioning of these components also helps to ensure that their performance is excellent both at low and high frequencies.

In filtering applications, shunt inductance can significantly lower the filtering performance of a component. The series inductance in feedthrough capacitors ensures that these components have outstanding high frequency performance. In addition, the geometry of feedthrough capacitors enhances their immunity to the undesirable effects of through current. Their high tolerance to these effects makes them one of the most reliable solutions for high frequency and high current filtering applications.

The most common designs of feedthrough capacitors are discoidal and tubular feedthrough types. These two designs have slightly different performance characteristics, and it is important to consider these differences when selecting a component for your electronic circuit.

Soldering a capacitor to a printed circuit board can affect the performance characteristics of a component. Using alternative methods of attaching capacitors to circuit boards helps to eliminate the thermal stress associated with soldering. This results in better insertion loss and insulation resistance characteristics. Many manufacturers of feedthrough capacitors are increasingly adopting solder-free contacting technologies to improve the performance characteristics of their products. Solder-free feedthrough capacitors are usually compact and easy to install.

Tubular ceramic feedthrough capacitors

Tubular feedthrough ceramic capacitors are widely used in high frequency filtering applications. For these capacitors, the inductance is in the series arm of the filter.  Due to their cylindrical design, the insertion loss of these capacitors is uniform over a wide range of temperatures. Compared to other wound capacitors, the unique structure of these components yields an impressively low inductance. The internal structure of ceramic tubular feedthrough capacitors varies depending on the desired performance characteristics and the applications they are intended for. Solid feedthrough capacitors are commonly used for low cost applications. These components do not have internal electrodes.

Some filtering applications demand capacitors with high capacitance to volume ratio. Multilayer tubular feedthrough capacitors offer high capacitance to volume ratio, and this makes them a suitable choice for low frequency filtering applications. These components are also widely used in circuits with high source impedances. In addition to conventional designs, many capacitor manufacturers produce specialty tubular components on demand.

Discoidal feedthrough capacitors

Discoidal feedthrough capacitors are widely used in the EMI filter industry. These components come in different designs and in a wide range of capacitance ratings to meet the diverse requirements of today’s applications. In addition, most of these components are compact in size and have impressive dielectric strength.

Compared to conventional capacitors, the special construction of ceramic discoidal feedthrough capacitors yields low inductance. Their circular geometry ensures low impedance since there are multiple paths to ground. The impressive performance characteristics of these components make them a suitable choice for high frequency applications. These feedthrough capacitors are mostly used for filtering and bypass applications.

Plastic film feedthrough capacitors

Metallized feedthrough film capacitors are commonly used in applications that demand components with high reliability. These capacitors utilize metallized plastic film construction technology to deliver the required high reliability. Just like ordinary metallized film capacitors, these feedthrough capacitors have self-healing properties. In addition to high reliability, these components also offer impressive high frequency performance.

Just like ceramic feedthrough capacitors, these components do not have lead inductance. This means that, unlike ordinary capacitors, they don’t have major resonance.  Moreover, the capacitance per unit volume of these components is impressively high.
The cost of a component is one of the main factors that electronic designers consider when selecting a capacitor for a particular application. Film feedthrough capacitors are cost effective solutions, and this makes them a popular choice for many applications. Plastic film feedthrough capacitors are available in a broad array of ratings and capacitance-voltage combinations.

Heat can significantly reduce the life and reliability of plastic film capacitors. Most manufacturers of film feedthrough capacitors are producing solderless components to eliminate the negative effects of soldering. Plastic film feedthrough capacitors are suitable for a wide range of filtering applications, and they are common elements in electronic circuits for base stations, servers, and switches.

Surface Mount Feedthrough Filters

SMD feedthrough filters example; image credit: AVX

SMD feedthrough filters are an easy way to achieve broad band EMI reduction in a small SMD package. SMD feedthru filters can help reduce cost designs by eliminating some types of L/C filters, increasing system reliability and saving valuable PCB area. SMD feedthru filters are offered in both 0805, 1206 single element packages or in 1206 four element packages.The unique construction of a feedthru capacitor provides low parallel inductance and offers excellent decoupling capability for all high di/dt environments and provides significant noise reduction in digital circuits

There are various types available, optimised per application specifics such as High current feedthrough capacitors designed to have high current handling capability within a capacitance range up to 100,000pF and a current rating up to 5A. The W2H feedthough filters can replace some discrete L/C filter networks in miniature SMD design.

Applications of feedthrough capacitors

Standard capacitors are not suitable for filtering applications because they tend to introduce high impedance. This impedance, usually in the form of shunt inductance, is undesirable and can significantly affect the performance of a filtering circuit. In comparison, feedthrough capacitors do not have this undesirable inductance in the shunt branch of a filter. The inductance of these components is in the series branch.

Feedthrough capacitors are commonly used in today’s AC/DC supply lines to suppress harmful interference. They are also widely used in electronic circuits for base stations, telephone exchanges, shielded rooms, power supplies, and so on.

RF feedthrough capacitors are mostly used for high power applications such as dielectric and induction heating equipment, plasma generators, and radio broadcast transmitters. They are also widely used for matching high power tuned circuits, bypassing and coupling RF circuits, and coupling antenna circuits.

SMT feedthrough capacitors are suitable for a wide range of applications including the following: power decoupling in amplifier circuits, high frequency decoupling in power lines, filtering in digital to RF interfacing circuits, voltage conditioning in RF amplification circuits, and high frequency decoupling in data, clock, and control lines.

Conclusion

Feedthrough capacitors are a special type of capacitors that are uniquely designed to meet the performance requirements of filtering circuits. A typical feedthrough capacitor consists of an electrode passing through the centre of a grounded housing. This special configuration eliminates lead inductance, resulting in better filtering performance. Apart from filtering applications, feedthrough capacitors are also commonly used as bypass components in circuits. Feedthrough capacitors are used in a wide range of circuits including EMI/RFI suppression circuits, power converters, and power supplies.

Related

Recent Posts

Vishay Releases DLA Tantalum Polymer Capacitors for Military and Aerospace

8.10.2025
2

Paumanok Releases Capacitor Foils Market Report 2025-2030

7.10.2025
8

Modelithics Welcomes CapV as a Sponsoring MVP

7.10.2025
2

Benefits of Tantalum Powder Stress–Strain Curve Evaluation vs Conventional Wet Test

3.10.2025
20

Electrolyte Selection and Performance in Supercapacitors

3.10.2025
16

Connector PCB Design Challenges

3.10.2025
20

Researchers Demonstrated High Energy Ceramic Capacitors Stable in Wide Temperature Range

2.10.2025
24

Stackpole Offers High Voltage Plate Resistors up to 40KV

2.10.2025
18

How to Manage Supercapacitors Leakage Current and Self Discharge 

1.10.2025
39

Qualification of Commercial Supercapacitors for Space Applications

1.10.2025
38

Upcoming Events

Oct 14
16:00 - 17:00 CEST

Smart Sensors, Smarter AI: Building Reliable Edge Systems

Oct 17
12:00 - 14:00 EDT

External Visual Inspection per MIL-STD-883 TM 2009

Oct 20
October 20 - October 23

Digital WE Days 2025 – Virtual Conference

Oct 21
October 21 @ 12:00 - October 23 @ 14:15 EDT

Space and Military Standards for Hybrids and RF Microwave Modules

Oct 28
8:00 - 15:00 CET

Power Up Your Design: SN6507 and the Ready-to-Use Development Kit

View Calendar

Popular Posts

  • Buck Converter Design and Calculation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boost Converter Design and Calculation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Flyback Converter Design and Calculation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • LLC Resonant Converter Design and Calculation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SEPIC Converter Design and Calculation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Dual Active Bridge (DAB) Topology Explained

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ripple Current and its Effects on the Performance of Capacitors

    3 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 0
  • What is a Dielectric Constant and DF of Plastic Materials?

    4 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 0
  • Flying Capacitors Explained

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • MLCC and Ceramic Capacitors

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter Subscription

 

Passive Components Blog

© EPCI - Leading Passive Components Educational and Information Site

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • EPCI Membership & Advertisement
  • About

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Premium Suppliers

© EPCI - Leading Passive Components Educational and Information Site

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version