Silver Mica Capacitors: High Precision, Low Loss, High Stability

Silver mica capacitors are the precision standard for high-frequency and audio circuits where stability and low loss are non-negotiable. Constructed from interleaved mica dielectric and silver electrodes, they deliver tight tolerances as low as ±0.5%, very low dissipation factor, high temperature stability and negligible ageing drift. As an electronic components distributor, ADD Components sources silver mica capacitors from Cornell Dubilier (CDE), Vishay and AVX, covering the full pF-to-nF range for RF tuned circuits, oscillators, filters, timing and audio networks at competitive wholesale pricing. With values spanning a few picofarads to roughly 47 nF and voltage ratings from 100 V to 1 kV, silver mica fills the precision gap between ceramic and film types, and remains the first choice wherever Q factor and long-term drift drive the design.

Product Types / Variants

Dipped Radial Silver Mica

Radial lead silver mica capacitors are coated in an epoxy dip for mechanical and environmental protection, with lead spacings from 0.15 in (CD15) upward. These compact parts are ideal for RF tuned circuits, crystal oscillator feedback and high-stability timing, where a few picofarads to a few nanofarads must stay exactly on value. The CDE CD15 and CD19 series and the Vishay CDV16 and CDV19 series are the radial workhorses we most frequently supply.

Precision Tolerance Silver Mica

Where circuit accuracy depends on a precise capacitance, tight-tolerance silver mica of ±0.5% to ±2% is the standard choice. This tolerance is maintained over a wide temperature range because the mica dielectric exhibits a very low temperature coefficient, making silver mica ideal for filters, tuned circuits and instrumentation that cannot tolerate value drift.

High Voltage and Large Radial Silver Mica

For higher working voltages and larger capacitance values, bigger case sizes such as the CDE CD30 and CD42 and the Vishay CDV30 and CDV42 extend silver mica coverage into the tens of nanofarads at 500 V and above. These parts serve RF power stages, transmitter matching networks and high-voltage coupling where both stability and voltage withstand are required.

RF and Audio Applications

Silver mica's extremely low loss and stable capacitance make it the preferred capacitor in RF tuned circuits, local oscillators and RF power amplifiers, where losses must stay minimal and values must not drift with temperature or time. In audio, silver mica is prized in tone controls, equalisation networks and feedback loops for its transparent, low-distortion behaviour.

Key Selection Parameters

• Capacitance value: from a few pF up to tens of nF, selected against the standard E12/E24 preferred values.

• Tolerance: ±0.5%, ±1%, ±2% or ±5%, chosen for the circuit's accuracy requirement.

• Voltage rating: commonly 100 V to 500 V and above; derate appropriately for the application.

• Temperature coefficient and stability: the very low TC ensures value stability across temperature.

• Dissipation factor: very low DF, typically 0.1% or less, minimises loss in tuned and high-Q circuits.

• Lead spacing and case size: CD15/CD19/CD30/CD42 or CDV16/CDV19/CDV30/CDV42, selected for PCB fit.

Representative Capacitors We Source

Send Us Your Capacitor Requirements

From a handful of precision 1% silver mica capacitors for an oscillator to production volumes of radial parts for RF and audio manufacture, ADD Components can source the exact silver mica capacitors your design requires. Send us the capacitance, tolerance, voltage rating and lead spacing together with your target quantity, and our team will respond with pricing, availability and lead time. We work with Cornell Dubilier, Vishay and AVX and support OEM, EMS and distribution buyers worldwide.

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