Crack of high voltage ceramic capacitor

Do ceramic capacitors crack?

This presentation gives a review of recent project failures caused by cracks in ceramic capacitors and discusses deficiencies of the existing screening and qualification procedures that can reveal the propensity to cracking and effects of soldering stresses. Recent history cases. Effect of hydrogen. A case when derating does not work.

Why is a capacitor prone to cracks?

This makes the capacitor particularly susceptible and sensitive to cracks under thermal, mechanical and voltage stresses.

What causes a ceramic capacitor to fail?

Index terms: Electric breakdown, ceramic capacitors, defects, reliability. Most failures of ceramic capacitors are caused either by degradation of insulation resistance that results in unacceptably high leakage currents in the circuit or by electrical breakdown that causes catastrophic failure of the part and can damage the board.

What causes elliptical cracks on a capacitor?

In severe cases, when a large surface mounted capacitor has been subjected to a sudden thermal shock, a clearly visible elliptical crack may form on the upper surface of the chip (Figure 1). This is primarily due to the tensile forces exerted by the terminations.

What causes cracks in MLCC ceramic capacitor?

Cracks in MLCC ceramic capacitor are, unfortunately, a well know phenomena that can depend to several factors. It is believed to reduce the reliability of the capacitor leading to catastrophic failure like short circuit.

Why do multilayer ceramic capacitors have low voltage resistance?

It is known that for low voltage failure mechanisms, multilayer ceramic capacitors with relatively thin dielectrics and/or relatively large voids, delamination, inclusions, microcracks, and other defects may develop low and unstable insulation resistances.