Decoupling Capacitor Calculator

Calculate the minimum decoupling capacitance needed to limit voltage droop during a transient current spike.

A
µs
mV

Minimum Capacitance

50.00 µF

Minimum Capacitance (nF)50,000 nF
Charge Needed5.00 µC

Minimum Capacitance vs Transient Duration

Decoupling Capacitor Sizing

Formula

C = I x dt / dV

Where I is the transient current, dt is the duration of the transient, and dV is the maximum allowed voltage droop. Place decoupling caps as close to the IC power pins as possible.

Example Calculation

0.5 A transient for 10 us, maximum 100 mV droop.

  1. 01dt = 10 / 1000000 = 0.00001 s
  2. 02dV = 100 / 1000 = 0.1 V
  3. 03C = 0.5 x 0.00001 / 0.1 = 0.00005 F = 50 uF

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A complete guide to Ohm's Law. Learn the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance, with practical examples, the power triangle, and circuit analysis tips.

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