Quote:
Originally posted by peranders
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Dielectric absorbtion is rather unimportant parameter in AC applications like audio. It VERY important in high precision dual slope ADC and similar DC applications.
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I wonder when dissipation factor start to get noticable. Is 0.5% "much"?
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Regarding DA: In circuits in which the average voltage is zero (true AC), I'll agree with the statement that dielectric absorption is not relevant (go silver mica!). But if there is a DC bias present, then DA becomes one of the worst errors because it will essentially supply an input signal when there ought to be none (that is, the absorbed charge fights the true input signal as it goes toward the opposite polarity).
Regarding DF: the absolute value of DF is not so important, within reason. It is the
change in DF with frequency, voltage, temperature, whatever that matters. Paper and oil capacitors have high DF, but it is very stable and so it is usually not offensive. Z5U ceramics and electrolytics have the the worst change in DF over any other varied parameter, and consequently are disasters when put into the signal path!
Polyester's DF is also erratic - not quite so bad as high-permittivity ceramics, but still up there - and it is because of this that it is a poor choice for signal coupling. Makes a great bypass capacitor, though.
edited to add the following response to Morsel's comments:
Those PPS and PP dielectrics not only have a low DF to begin with, but very little delta DF w/r/t pretty much any other parameter changed! This is why I take plastic over paper, and not just at the grocery store