# Ceramic capacitor
A ceramic capacitor is a fixed capacitor that uses a ceramic material as its dielectric, sandwiched between two electrodes; in the dominant multilayer form, this basic structure is repeated many times to store a greater charge in a small volume[1](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0001). Ceramic capacitors are made in two broad classes defined by dielectric material: Class 1 temperature-compensating types with small, predictable capacitance change, and Class 2 high-dielectric-constant types with much larger capacitance but strong dependence on temperature, applied voltage, and time[2](https://www.murata.com/en-global/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/char/0017). The multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) combines small size, low equivalent series resistance (ESR), low equivalent series inductance (ESL), and a wide operating temperature range, which makes it the standard choice for bypass, decoupling, and filtering in modern electronics[3](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/analog-dialogue/articles/why-bypass-capacitor-choice-matters.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Basic structure | A dielectric between two electrodes, repeated in many stacked layers; total electrode area determines capacitance[1](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0001) • [4](https://corporate.murata.com/en-us/technology/technology-platform/production-technology/green-sheet-process) |
| Class 1 dielectric | Calcium zirconate; no DC bias or aging effect; C0G code specifies 0±30 ppm/°C from -55 to +125 °C[2](https://www.murata.com/en-global/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/char/0017) • [5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/) |
| Class 2 dielectric | Barium titanate, ferroelectric, with relative dielectric constant as high as 7000 versus 20 to 70 for TiO2[2](https://www.murata.com/en-global/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/char/0017) • [6](https://www.kyocera-avx.com/docs/techinfo/CeramicCapacitors/mlcc-dc-bias-characteristics.pdf) |
| X7R tolerance | ±15% capacitance change from -55 to +125 °C; Y5V allows +22/-82% from -30 to +85 °C[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/) |
| Parasitics | MLCCs offer ESR below 10 mΩ and ESL below 1 nH in a small surface-mount package[7](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/technical-articles/selecting-the-right-passive-and-discrete-components.html) |
| Layer count | Multilayering technology capable of as many as 1000 layers with submicron layer thickness[8](https://product.tdk.com/en/products/capacitor/ceramic/mlcc/index.html) |
| Main failure mode | Board flexure cracks starting near the termination edge, which can progress to short circuit[9](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc_flex-crack.html) |
## Structure and materials
The most basic capacitor structure is a dielectric between two electrodes. A multilayer ceramic capacitor repeats this structure in many stacked layers so that a greater charge can be stored[1](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0001). The ceramic sheets and metal electrodes are stacked alternately, and the total electrode area determines the capacitance[4](https://corporate.murata.com/en-us/technology/technology-platform/production-technology/green-sheet-process). In a typical construction the internal electrodes are nickel, the termination electrodes are copper with a tin finish, and the dielectric is CaZrO3 for Class 1 parts and BaTiO3 for Class 2 parts[10](https://product.tdk.com/en/system/files/dam/doc/product/capacitor/ceramic/lead-mlcc/specification/leadmlccspec_conventional_en.pdf).
The two classes serve different purposes. Class 1 (temperature-compensating) parts use calcium zirconate, have no DC bias or aging characteristics, and provide small capacitance with stable behavior; they are used for oscillation, tuning filters, coupling, and matching. Class 2 (high dielectric constant) parts use barium titanate, deliver large capacitance, and are used for bypass, smoothing, decoupling, and coupling[2](https://www.murata.com/en-global/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/char/0017).
## Manufacturing
**Green sheet process.** Ceramic powder, mainly barium titanate, is mixed with a binder and solvent to form a paste, which is spread thinly and dried into a green sheet, an unfired ceramic sheet. Nickel for the internal electrodes is printed onto the sheets, which are then stacked, pressed, and cut into a multilayer structure[4](https://corporate.murata.com/en-us/technology/technology-platform/production-technology/green-sheet-process). Murata describes the full production as eight steps: printing the internal electrodes on the dielectric sheet, stacking the sheets, pressing, cutting, sintering, applying and baking the outer electrodes, plating, and measurement and packaging[11](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0002).
A difficult aspect of manufacturing is that the ceramic sheet shrinks significantly after sintering, so creating the desired electrode structure after firing requires precise control[12](https://article.murata.com/en-eu/article/mlcc-for-5g-smartphone-2). To reach high capacitance in a small size, manufacturers make the sheets and electrodes as thin as possible and stack them without misalignment; TDK cites layering technology capable of as many as 1000 layers with submicron layer thickness[4](https://corporate.murata.com/en-us/technology/technology-platform/production-technology/green-sheet-process) • [8](https://product.tdk.com/en/products/capacitor/ceramic/mlcc/index.html).
## Temperature, voltage, and aging behavior
**Temperature codes.** [Capacitance](https://www.edgepedia.org/capacitance) of ceramic capacitors changes with ambient temperature, and manufacturers label parts with codes from two standards, JIS and EIA. For Class 1 parts the code specifies a temperature coefficient in ppm/°C: C0G (JIS CG) is 0±30 ppm/°C over -55 to +125 °C, and U2J (JIS UJ) is -750±120 ppm/°C. For Class 2 parts the code specifies a capacitance change ratio: X7R is ±15% over -55 to +125 °C, X5R is ±15% over -55 to +85 °C, and Y5V is +22/-82% over -30 to +85 °C[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/).
**DC bias.** In high-dielectric (Class 2) capacitors, capacitance changes when a voltage is applied, a behavior called the bias characteristic. The mechanism lies in barium titanate's ferroelectric spontaneous polarization: without an external field, spontaneous polarization reverses freely and the dielectric constant is high; under a DC bias the reversal is hindered and the capacitance drops substantially[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/) • [6](https://www.kyocera-avx.com/docs/techinfo/CeramicCapacitors/mlcc-dc-bias-characteristics.pdf). Temperature-compensating types show almost no capacitance change with voltage because of their different material[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/). Designers are advised to read the manufacturer's capacitance-versus-DC-bias curve for the exact part at the operating voltage[6](https://www.kyocera-avx.com/docs/techinfo/CeramicCapacitors/mlcc-dc-bias-characteristics.pdf).
**Aging.** Capacitance of high-dielectric type capacitors gradually decreases over time as the ceramic's structure shifts to a more electrically stable state. The reduced capacitance returns to its original value through thermal treatment; heating a Class 2 part above its Curie point, 125 °C for 4 hours or 150 °C for half an hour, de-ages it back to initial readings. Temperature-compensating products do not age in this way[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/) • [13](https://catalogs.kyocera-avx.com/AdvancedCeramicCapacitors.pdf).
## Electrical performance
Real capacitors also have parasitic resistance and inductance. ESR causes heat generation and voltage drop when current flows, and ESL causes waveform ringing; above the self-resonant frequency (SRF), where capacitance and ESL cancel, impedance rises with frequency. Multilayer ceramic capacitors are generally superior in ESR and ESL to other [capacitor types](https://www.edgepedia.org/capacitor-types), and increasing the number of internal layers reduces both, because the electrodes act as parallel resistance and inductance paths[5](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/). [Analog Devices](https://www.edgepedia.org/analog-devices) cites MLCC ESR below 10 mΩ and ESL below 1 nH in surface-mount packages[7](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/technical-articles/selecting-the-right-passive-and-discrete-components.html).
These properties make MLCCs the first choice for bypass capacitors in low-dropout regulator and similar applications[3](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/analog-dialogue/articles/why-bypass-capacitor-choice-matters.html). Class 1 MLCCs, with small capacitance change with temperature and low losses, are increasingly chosen to replace [film capacitors](https://www.edgepedia.org/film-capacitor) in resonant circuits such as wireless chargers[14](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc-for-resonant-circuit-1.html).
**Acoustic noise.** Because Class 2 dielectrics are ferroelectric, they are also piezoelectric: under AC or pulse voltage the capacitor body vibrates, and if the vibration falls in the audible range of roughly 20 Hz to 20 kHz it can be heard as a hum, intensified when the part is soldered to a board. Class 1 dielectrics are not ferroelectric and do not exhibit the piezoelectric effect[15](https://product.tdk.com/system/files/contents/faq/capacitors-0031/singing_capacitors_piezoelectric_effect.pdf). The same piezoelectric nature can convert vibration or mechanical shock into an AC noise voltage that disturbs sensitive analog circuits[3](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/analog-dialogue/articles/why-bypass-capacitor-choice-matters.html).
## Reliability and flex cracking
Ceramic elements are strong in compression but weak in tension, so excessive stress on a soldered MLCC from the board direction easily generates a crack. Board flexure from handling during manufacture, such as suction nozzle stress, inappropriate solder amount, board splitting, and excessive bending, and from drop shock and vibration in use, is a major cause. A crack can allow conduction between opposite internal electrodes, producing a short-circuit failure that may cause abnormal heat generation or ignition; even a crack that begins as an open circuit can progress to a short while the product is in the field[9](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc_flex-crack.html).
**Countermeasures** rely on softer terminations and structural designs. In a TDK test with a substrate bending amount of 10 mm, the body crack occurrence rate was 100% for standard-terminal products compared with 0% for resin-electrode (soft termination) products, which relieve board-flexing stress; soft-termination parts also survived a 10,000-cycle drop test without cracks[9](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc_flex-crack.html). KEMET's flexible termination uses a layer of conductive silver epoxy between the copper termination and nickel barrier layer that absorbs board strain and can tear from the copper under extreme strain, acting as a mechanical fuse[16](https://www.kemet.com/en/us/capacitors/ceramic/ceramics-faq.html). Safety-design products place two capacitor structures in series in a single body, so a crack on one side leaves the other intact and suppresses short circuits[9](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc_flex-crack.html).
## Standards
Capacitors connected to AC mains for electromagnetic interference suppression are covered by IEC 60384-14, which applies to fixed capacitors for supply connections up to 1 000 V AC (RMS) at up to 100 Hz, with additional conditions for DC supplies up to 1 500 V DC[17](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/64361).
## References
1. [What is the Structure, Materials of Ceramic Capacitors? Murata Manufacturing](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0001)
2. [Difference between high dielectric type and temperature compensating type, Murata Manufacturing](https://www.murata.com/en-global/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/char/0017)
3. [Low Dropout Regulators: Why the Choice of Bypass Capacitor Matters, Analog Devices](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/analog-dialogue/articles/why-bypass-capacitor-choice-matters.html)
4. [Green Sheet Process Technology, Murata Manufacturing](https://corporate.murata.com/en-us/technology/technology-platform/production-technology/green-sheet-process)
5. [Ceramic Capacitor FAQ, TAIYO YUDEN](https://www.yuden.co.jp/en/product/support/useful/faq/mlcc/)
6. [DC Bias Characteristics of Ceramic Capacitors, Kyocera AVX](https://www.kyocera-avx.com/docs/techinfo/CeramicCapacitors/mlcc-dc-bias-characteristics.pdf)
7. [Selecting the Right Passive and Discrete Components, Analog Devices](https://www.analog.com/en/resources/technical-articles/selecting-the-right-passive-and-discrete-components.html)
8. [Multilayer Ceramic Chip Capacitors, TDK](https://product.tdk.com/en/products/capacitor/ceramic/mlcc/index.html)
9. [Flex Crack Countermeasures in MLCCs Vol.1, TDK](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc_flex-crack.html)
10. [Lead MLCC Specification, TDK](https://product.tdk.com/en/system/files/dam/doc/product/capacitor/ceramic/lead-mlcc/specification/leadmlccspec_conventional_en.pdf)
11. [What is the production process of Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors? Murata Manufacturing](https://www.murata.com/support/faqs/capacitor/ceramiccapacitor/conf/0002)
12. [Murata's MLCC for 5G Smartphones (Part 2), Murata Manufacturing](https://article.murata.com/en-eu/article/mlcc-for-5g-smartphone-2)
13. [MLC Chip Capacitors catalog, Kyocera AVX](https://catalogs.kyocera-avx.com/AdvancedCeramicCapacitors.pdf)
14. [MLCC solution for resonant circuit Vol.1, TDK](https://product.tdk.com/en/techlibrary/solutionguide/mlcc-for-resonant-circuit-1.html)
15. [Singing Capacitors: Piezoelectric Effect, TDK](https://product.tdk.com/system/files/contents/faq/capacitors-0031/singing_capacitors_piezoelectric_effect.pdf)
16. [Ceramic Capacitor FAQ and Application Guide, KEMET](https://www.kemet.com/en/us/capacitors/ceramic/ceramics-faq.html)
17. [IEC 60384-14:2023, International Electrotechnical Commission](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/64361)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Engineering and manufacturing › Electrical and electronics engineering › Electronic components and devices*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
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