APPLICATION NOTES FOR MIL-PRF-20

The NPSL application notes for multilayer ceramic capacitors are being amended (May 2013) to reflect the following recommendations from a NASA Engineering & Safety Center (NESC) report ^[1] on the subject of low voltage failure phenomenon of ceramic capacitors:

R-1. NASA guidelines should be amended to remove any requirements to perform Humidity Steady-State Low Voltage (HSSLV) test as an add-on lot acceptance test for MIL QPL MLCCs.

R-3. NASA guidelines should be amended to remove restrictions on MLCCs rated at less than 100 V when used in low voltage applications.

Reference:

[1] “Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) –Low Voltage Failure (LVF) Phenomenon” NASA/TM-2010-216852, NESC-RP-07-056, October 2010, NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC)

1) MIL-PRF-123 capacitors are space grade and are recommended as the first order of precedence for all Level 1 applications.

For historical reference, application notes that have been rescinded may be viewed here