COMPONENT REFERENCE
Technical guides for a purchasing decision.
Search component types, application questions and selection considerations. These are technical guides, not live stock listings or a part-number database. For an example of an actual candidate comparison, open the demonstration report.
20 practical guides
01
MLCC & ceramic capacitors
A capacitor's printed value is a starting point. The useful value is what remains at the board's voltage, temperature, frequency and age. First choose the dielectric behaviour; then add voltage, mechanical and qualification requirements.
A useful first comparisonC0G / NP0
Choose C0G when a capacitance value sets a frequency, delay or gain and drifting away from that value matters.
X5R
X5R is useful when you need appreciable capacitance in a small footprint and the component stays within its temperature range.
X7R
X7R extends the usual X5R temperature range to 125°C. It does not automatically retain more capacitance at your operating voltage.
X8R and high-temperature MLCCs
X8R is a 150°C temperature-characteristic option. A hot location still needs an exact-series voltage, lifetime and assembly review.
Safety-certified ceramic
Select these by their approved circuit role, class and voltage. A high DC-voltage ceramic does not become a safety capacitor merely because it withstands a bench test.
02
Resistors
Resistance is only one line on the specification. A purchase can match ohms and still fail because of heat, drift, voltage stress or pulse shape. Separate the resistive technology from the job it must do.
A useful first comparisonThick-film resistors
Thick film is a practical starting point for everyday biasing and pull-ups. It still needs a defined power, voltage and environmental envelope.
Thin-film resistors
Thin film is often a good direction for precision analog work. Initial tolerance, temperature drift and long-term stability are separate numbers.
Current-sense resistors
A shunt creates a small voltage proportional to current. The useful accuracy comes from the resistor, connections, temperature and amplifier together.
High-voltage and pulse resistors
High voltage asks how much electrical stress a resistor can sustain continuously. Pulse capability asks what a specified transient does to it. One rating does not establish the other.
Wirewound resistors
Wirewound parts are useful for selected power and pulse duties. Their winding and mounting conditions are as important as their resistance.
03
Inductors & EMI magnetics
Start with the circuit’s job. Energy-storage inductors, RF inductors, common-mode chokes and ferrite beads solve different problems, even when their packages look similar.
A useful first comparisonMolded / composite power inductors
Compact energy storage; select on effective inductance, peak current and hot loss.
Ferrite power inductors
Compare core and copper loss before choosing the smallest package.
RF inductors
The right nH value still needs the right Q and parasitics at your frequency.
Common-mode chokes
Suppress the unwanted current mode while preserving the differential signal.
Ferrite beads
A lossy noise filter whose impedance changes under DC load.
04
MOSFETs & power semiconductors
Choose around voltage stress, switching behaviour and the thermal path. Silicon MOSFETs, superjunction devices, SiC, IGBTs and rectifiers offer different trade-offs; a shared package does not make them interchangeable.
A useful first comparisonLow- and medium-voltage silicon MOSFETs
Match gate drive, hot resistance, switching charge and real board cooling.
High-voltage superjunction MOSFETs
High-voltage silicon efficiency depends on the topology and body diode.
Silicon carbide MOSFETs
High-voltage switching gains require a suitable driver and a controlled loop.
IGBTs
Balance on-state drop against switching tail loss at the intended duty.
Rectifiers and Schottky diodes
Choose the junction and package from forward, reverse and recovery losses.
These guides explain selection principles. Final decisions require the current datasheet for the exact ordering code, operating conditions and appropriate application testing.
AMPSHEEN / JERRY LEON