Types of Capacitor

Types Of Capacitor

This article is about the commercial discrete capacitors as customary components for use in electronic equipment. For the physical phenomenon, see Capacitor. For explanation of the unit see Capacitance.

Capacitors, together with resistors, inductors and memristors, belong to the group of "passive components" for electronic equipment. Although in absolute figures the most common capacitors are integrated capacitors, e.g. in DRAMs or in flash memory structures, this article is concentrated on discrete components.

Discrete capacitors today are industrial products produced in very large quantities for use in electronic and in electrical equipment. Globally, the market for fixed capacitors was estimated at approximately US$18 billion in 2008 for 1,400 billion (1.4 × 1012) pieces. This market is dominated by ceramic capacitors with estimate of approximately one trillion (1 × 1012) items per year.

Detailed estimated figures in value for the main capacitor families are:

• Ceramic capacitors—US$8.3 billion (46%);
• Aluminum electrolytic capacitors—US$ 3.9 billion (22%);
• Film capacitors and Paper capacitors—US$ 2.6 billion, (15%);
• Tantalum electrolytic capacitors—US$ 2.2 billion (12%);
• Super capacitors (Double-layer capacitors)—US$ 0.3 billion (2%); and
• Others like silver mica and vacuum capacitors—US$ 0.7 billion (3%).

All other capacitor types are negligible in terms of value and quantity compared with the above types.