Choice of capacitor dielectric

Capacitors use a variety of different substances as their dielectric material. The material is chosen for the properties it provides. One of the major reasons for the choice of a particular dielectric material is its dielectric constant. Those with a high dielectric constant enable high values of capacitance to be achieved - each one having a different permittivity or dielectric constant. This changes the amount of capacitance that the capacitor will have for a given area and spacing.

The dielectric will also need to be chosen to meet requirements such as insulation strength - it must be able to withstand the voltages placed across it with the thickness levels used. It must also be sufficiently stable with variations in temperature, humidity, and voltage, etc.

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