This section provides an overview for film capacitors as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 4 film capacitor manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
A film capacitor is a capacitor that uses plastic film as a derivative. The technology traces its roots back to paper capacitors invented in the late 19th century. In paper capacitors, oil or paraffin paper is clipped onto aluminum foil and rolled.
The type that is rolled by depositing metal directly onto paper is called a metallized paper (MP) capacitor. Film capacitor was developed in the 1930s based on these technologies.
Film capacitor is classified into foil electrode type and vapor-deposited electrode type (metallized film type) according to the structure of the internal electrodes, and further into wound type and laminated type, inductive type and non-inductive type according to the difference in structure.
Film capacitors are used in a wide variety of products from consumer products to industrial equipment. Examples of consumer products are home appliances such as refrigerators and in-car electronic equipment such as car navigation systems, car audio systems, and ETC systems. Examples of industrial equipment include power electronics equipment.
Film capacitors are characterized by high insulation resistance and high safety. They are also non-polarized, have excellent high-frequency characteristics, and have good temperature characteristics. In addition, film capacitors has high capacitance accuracy and a long service life.
However, film capacitors are larger than multilayer ceramic chip capacitors. Therefore, film capacitors tend to be used in voltage and capacitance ranges that cannot be covered by ceramic capacitors, as well as in high-performance and high-precision crises.
Capacitors are electronic components that store and release electricity. When voltage is applied between opposing conductors, electrostatic induction occurs in the insulator or space between them. The electrostatic induction action causes dielectric polarization in the insulator, which charges the battery.
Film capacitors use a film as the inductor. Film capacitors can be classified into several categories according to the construction and structure of the internal electrodes.
This is wound film capacitors in which a plastic film is wound over a metal foil that serves as the internal electrode. The metallic foil is made of aluminum, tin, or copper.
There are two types of foil-electrode film capacitors: inductive and non-inductive. The inductive type is wound with a lead wire attached to the internal electrode, while the non-inductive type has a lead wire or terminal electrode attached to the end face. The inductance component of the non-inductive type can be smaller than that of the inductive type, resulting in superior high-frequency characteristics.
This is a type of film capacitor in which the internal electrode is made by vapor-depositing metal onto plastic film. Aluminum or zinc is used as a metallic material. Since the vapor-deposited film is very thin, this type of capacitor can be made smaller than the foil electrode-type film capacitors.
Film capacitors do not have polarity. In other words, film capacitors are non-polarized capacitors. There are two types of fixed capacitors: non-polarized capacitors and polarized capacitors.
Non-Polarized Capacitor
A non-polarized capacitor is a capacitor whose terminals do not distinguish between positive and negative. It does not matter which terminal is positive. The polarity of the voltage applied to the terminals is not regulated. Non-polar capacitors can be used directly in AC circuits.
Film capacitors are one of the mainstream nonpolar capacitors. Other non-polar capacitors include ceramic capacitors, paper capacitors, mica capacitors, and air capacitors.
Polarized Capacitors
A polarized capacitor is a capacitor with two terminals, one of which is positive. If the polarity of the terminals is used incorrectly, the capacitor will be damaged.
Audio equipment can be self-made or customized to one's own taste in sound. There are multiple factors that affect the quality of sound, but the parts used also affect the sound quality. Capacitors are one of those parts.
The characteristics required of capacitors used in audio amplifiers include the following:
Compared to electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors are superior in the above characteristics. In terms of sound quality, film capacitors have better sound transparency and resolution than electrolytic capacitors.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
Sort by Area
KEMET has a portfolio of over 1,600 patents serving the automotive, aerospace, industrial, telecommunications, computing, consumer, and medical devices. KEMETs devices provide filtering, sensing, energy storage, power conversion, and haptic actuator technology. Among these devices are capacitors, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) components, resistors, circuit protection devices, inductors, sensors, Piezoelectric devices, release, transformers, and engineering kits.
Ranking as of March 2023 in United States of America
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Allied International | 100% |
Ranking as of March 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Allied International | 100% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the film capacitor page as of March 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country, please select the appropriate version of Metoree for your country in the drop-down menu.