VISHAY VITRAMON Capacitor Products Application Note Space-Saving HVArc Guard® Capacitors for Passive Snubber Applications sizes as small as 0805. Designers can thus save on board space while maintaining the same capacitance and voltage ratings for a wide range of medium- to high-voltage snubber applications. A wide range of passive devices can be used to make a passive snubber that absorbs energy from the reactance in a power switching circuit. Snubbers can be used to clamp ringing noise or reduce power dissipation during turn-off; another application is to reduce peak switching voltages. They are a critical circuit for improving the efficiency of most switching semiconductor circuits. Small Size Advantages The small dimensions of HVArc Guard surface-mount MLCCs make them ideal for snubber circuits. Their high voltage breakdown performance is particularly useful in applications requiring snubber capacitors or capacitors in the high-voltage inverter section. In fact, the breakdown voltage of HVArc Guard MLCCs is more than twice that of the comparable standard commercial high-voltage capacitor. There are several different passive component options for snubber design. For example, film polypropylene capacitors are often used as a snubber to control the voltage rate of rise (dV/dt) in high pulse applications. High-voltage, standard MLCCs are likewise used as a snubber to clamp the voltage to a fixed level during device turn-on. They can also be used to clamp harmful transient voltages on semiconductor switching devices such as bipolar or MOS transistors. The disadvantage with these solutions is their size. Film capacitors are leaded, through-hole devices that require significant board space. High-voltage, 390 pF, 1 kV MLCCs have until now been available only in the 1812 size. Good Surge Capability Vishay has conducted various surge tests on HVArc Guard capacitors. The basic surge waveform is shown below. Pulse rise times as fast as 1.2 µs were tested on HVArc Guard devices. New HVArc Guard® high-voltage MLCCs remove these limitations. They combine high breakdown voltages, low impedance, and a wide operating frequency range in case Vpk 90 % Rise Time, tr = t2 - t1 Duration, td = t4 Capability = tr x td 10 % t0 t1 t2 The results of surge testing on both the X7R and NP0 HVArc Guard capacitors are shown in the follwing table: Document Number: 45059 Revision: 17-Aug-07 t4 Time (µs) Waveform C0G (N0P) HVArc Guard X7R HVArc Guard 1.2 µs x 50 µs 1650 V 500 V 10 µs x 700 µs 1800 V 1200 V 10 µs x 160 µs > 1500 V 1200 V For technical support, contact [email protected] www.vishay.com 1 APPLICATION NOTE 50 % Application Note Vishay Vitramon Space-Saving HVArc Guard® Capacitors for Passive Snubber Applications Designing Snubbers with HVArc Guard A simple passive R-C snubber is used in power circuitry to dissipate energy and clamp voltages during turn-on and turn-off cycles. For example, in an application where high-voltage MOSFETs are used as the switching device, rapid changes occur as the drain-to-source voltage steps up during MOSFET operation. These changes create voltage transient noise on the gate of the MOSFET. A capacitor snubber is used on source-drain as a bypass cap for the harmful switching noise. Used in these applications, HVArc Guard MLCCs will typically require significantly less space than standard high-voltage capacitors. Shown below is an example of a snubber used in a totem pole configured MOSFET circuit. VBIAS VDRV R VCC PWM controller RGATE OUT GND HVArc Guard Capacitors Ordering Information HVArc-Guard MLCCs are available in both C0G (NPO) and X7R dielectrics and in a variety of popular surface mount EIA standard case sizes. Ordering is easy using the codes below. HVArc Guard C0G (NP0) Dielectric Ordering Code APPLICATION NOTE ORDERING INFORMATION VJ0805 CASE CODE A DIELECTRIC 0805 1206 1210 A = C0G 102 J X G CAPACITANCE CAPACITANCE TERMINATION DC VOLTAGE NOMINAL CODE TOLERANCE RATING 1) Expressed in picofarads (pF). The first two digits are significant, the third is a multiplier. Examples: 102 = 1000 pF J=±5% K = ± 10 % M = ± 20 % X = Ni barrier 100 % tin plated matte finish F = AgPd G = 1000 V R = 1500 V A MARKING T PACKAGING A = Unmarked C = 7" reel/ paper tape T = 7" reel/ plastic tape P = 11 1/4" reel/ paper tape B = Bulk R = 11 1/4" reel/ plastic tape W = Waffle tray 5Z PROCESS CODE 5Z = HVArc Guard Note: 1. DC voltage rating should not be exceeded in application www.vishay.com 2 For technical support, contact [email protected] Document Number: 45059 Revision: 17-Aug-07 Application Note Vishay Vitramon Space-Saving HVArc Guard® Capacitors for Passive Snubber Applications HVArc Guard X7R Dielectric Ordering Code ORDERING INFORMATION VJ1812 CASE CODE Y DIELECTRIC 1206 1210 1808 1812 Y = X7R 102 J X P CAPACITANCE CAPACITANCE TERMINATION DC VOLTAGE NOMINAL CODE TOLERANCE RATING 1) Expressed in picofarads (pF). The first two digits are significant, the third is a multiplier. Examples: 223 = 22 000 pF J=±5% K = ± 10 % M = ± 20 % X = Ni barrier 100 % tin plated F = AgPd P = 250 V E = 500 V L = 630 V G = 1000 V A MARKING T PACKAGING A = Unmarked C = 7" reel/ paper tape T = 7" reel/ plastic tape P = 11 1/4" reel/ paper tape B = Bulk R = 11 1/4" reel/ plastic tape W = Waffle tray 5Z PROCESS CODE 5Z = HVArc Guard Note: 1. DC voltage rating should not be exceeded in application THE AMERICAS JAPAN NETHERLANDS VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC. 63 LANCASTER AVE. MALVERN, PA 19355 UNITED STATES PH: +1-610-407-4800 FAX: +1-610-640-9081 VISHAY JAPAN CO., LTD. GE EDISON BUILDING, SHIBUYA 3F 3-5-16 SHIBUYA SHIBUYA-KU TOKYO 150-0002 JAPAN PH: +81-3-5464-6411 FAX: +81-3-5464-6433 VISHAY BCCOMPONENTS B.V. HURKESTRAAT 31 P.O. BOX 8766 5652 AH EINDHOVEN NETHERLANDS PH: +31-40-2590-700 FAX: +31-40-2590-777 ASIA EUROPE SINGAPORE GERMANY VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY ASIA PTE LTD. 25 TAMPINES STREET 92 KEPPEL BUILDING #02-00 SINGAPORE 528877 PH: +65-6788-6668 FAX: +65-6788-0988 VISHAY EUROPE SALES GMBH GEHEIMRAT-ROSENTHAL-STR. 100 95100 SELB GERMANY PH: +49-9287-71-0 FAX: +49-9287-70435 UNITED STATES FRANCE P.R.C. VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY ASIA PTE LTD. (SHANGHAI REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE) ROOM D, 15F, SUN TONG INFOPORT PLAZA 55 HUAI HAI WEST ROAD 200030 SHANGHAI P.R.C. PH: +86-21-6283-1036 FAX: +86-21-6283-1039 VISHAY S.A. 199, BLVD DE LA MADELEINE 06003 NICE, CEDEX 1 FRANCE PH: +33-4-9337-2920 FAX: +33-4-9337-2997 One of the World’s Largest Manufacturers of Discrete Semiconductors and Passive Components Document Number: 45059 Revision: 17-Aug-07 For technical support, contact [email protected] www.vishaymg.com 3 APPLICATION NOTE WORLDWIDE SALES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT NOTICE Specifications of the products displayed herein are subject to change without notice. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., or anyone on its behalf, assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies. Information contained herein is intended to provide a product description only. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property rights is granted by this document. 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