Passive Devices Designed to Improve Signal-to-Noise Ratios in Defense Electronics

While power architectures of defense electronics are extremely diverse, all have common operational demands: they must be robust (shock, vibration, temperature extremes), highly reliable, able to power-up after periods of dormancy, and be based on components with minimal obsolescence. Design engineers can improve their power distribution quality over a wide spectrum of signal types from digital to RF power, while meeting the above application requirements, through the implementation of various passive components designed specifically to enhance performance and improve signal-to-noise ratios. In this article we will talk about low-inductance, low-ESR power filter capacitors; wet tantalum capacitors; RF/microwave directional couplers; and land grid array inductors and filters.