New Capacitor Construction Reduces Parasitic Inductance And Brings the SRF to Ultra-High Frequencies

MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA - August 30, 2002 - Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH) today announced the release of the industry's first silicon-based RF capacitors, a technology breakthrough that boosts electrical performance while greatly reducing the board space required for circuitry in cell phones and other wireless communication systems.

Built on a proprietary Vishay process, the new silicon-based capacitors provide the same broad range of capacitance values as conventional capacitors while delivering superior stability over a wide frequency range, high Q factors, low ESR values, and highly accurate dimensions. Typical applications for the new devices will include wireless communications, GPS, VCO, filter and matching networking, and power amplifiers.

The construction of Vishay's new HPC0402A high-performance, high-precision capacitor decreases the distance between components, reducing parasitic lines and improving circuit performance. Vishay's unique design also brings the capacitor's self-resonant frequency (SRF) to ultra-high frequencies. The device's bump structure eliminates the tombstone effect, providing a flat top area for better pick-and-place assembly and allowing board-size reductions of up to 45%.

Vishay's first silicon-based capacitor is also the industry's first 0402-sized device to provide high accuracy over 22 pF. Intended to save space while providing superior electrical performance in end products including mobile phones, cordless phones, and global positioning systems, the HPC0402A is available in 6-V, 10-V, 16-V, and 25-V options. Overall capacitance ranges from 0.6 pF up to 180 pF with tight tolerance to ±1% or 0.05 pF. The capacitor's high SRF differentiates the HPC0402A from the competition by enabling extremely stable capacitance at frequencies ranging from 1 MHz up to several GHz.

The HPC0402A measures 0.040 in. by 0.020 in. (1.02 mm by 0.51 mm) with a height of 0.016 in. (0.40 mm). The device features a temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of ±30 ppm/°C over an operating temperature range of -55µC to +125µC, a lifetime of 1,000 hours at +125µC at twice the rated power, and resistance to moisture and thermal shock.