An experimental characterization of nonlinear ceramic capacitors for smalland large signals

The aim of this paper is both to characterize multilayers ceramic capacitor s showing a nonlinear behavior with the applied voltage and to give possibl e explanations of such a behavior Experimental methods involving high and l ow voltage magnitudes are used to characterize different type of components (X7R, Z5U). Their results are compared and discussed and the main properti es of the materials used to manufacture them are derived. At last, their li mits in view of power electronic applications are discussed.