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Equivalent Capacitance

Equivalent Capacitance

Multiple capacitors can be connected in a circuit in series or parallel configuration. When the capacitor combination is connected to a battery, the potential drop across each capacitor and the magnitude of charge stored in the individual capacitor depends on the type of the connection. The capacitor combination is replaced by a single equivalent capacitor that stores the same amount of charge as the combination for a given potential difference.
The following strategies are adopted to calculate...

Equivalent Capacitance

Equivalent Capacitance

From the study of resistive circuits, it is understood that employing a series-parallel combination serves as an effective strategy for simplifying circuits. Capacitors can be arranged within a circuit in one of two ways: a series configuration or a parallel configuration. The way these capacitors are connected to a battery will influence both the potential drop across each individual capacitor and the size of the charge that each capacitor can store. This is determined by the specific type of...

Design Example: Capacitance Multiplier Circuit

Design Example: Capacitance Multiplier Circuit

In integrated circuit technology, a capacitance multiplier is often utilized to produce a larger capacitance value when a small physical capacitance falls short. This is achieved by a circuit that multiplies capacitance values by a factor of up to 1000, such that a 10-pF capacitor can replicate the performance of a 100-nF capacitor.
The circuit illustrated in Figure 1 below incorporates two op-amps, with the first operating as a voltage follower and the second acting as an inverting amplifier.

Capacitor With A Dielectric

Capacitor With A Dielectric

Parallel plate capacitors consist of two conducting plates separated by a certain distance. However, it is mechanically difficult to hold the large plates parallel to each other without actual contact. Hence, a dielectric layer is commonly placed between the plates, which provides an easy solution for holding the plates together with a small gap and increases the capacitance of the capacitor.
Dielectrics are non-conducting materials with no free or loosely bound electrons. When a dielectric is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Author Spotlight: Microfluidic Channel-Based Soft Electrodes and Their Application in Capacitive Pressure Sensing

Author Spotlight: Microfluidic Channel-Based Soft Electrodes and Their Application in Capacitive Pressure Sensing

Published on: March 17, 2023

Differential Ring Oscillator Based Capacitance Sensor for Microfluidic Applications.

Kaveh Mohammad, Douglas J Thomson

IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems

|January 28, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A novel high frequency capacitance sensor offers 180 aF sensitivity for microfluidic applications. This compact, differential ring oscillator-based sensor is ideal for Lab on Chip and Lab on Board systems.

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Area of Science:

Electrical Engineering
Sensor Technology
Microfluidics

Background:

Microfluidic systems require sensitive detection methods.
Capacitance sensing offers a label-free detection approach.
Integration of sensors into portable systems is crucial for point-of-care diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and implement a high-frequency capacitance sensor with high sensitivity.
To demonstrate the sensor's capability in detecting analytes in microfluidic channels.
To evaluate the sensor's suitability for Lab on Chip and Lab on Board applications.

Main Methods:

Utilized differential ring oscillators operating at MHz frequencies.
Implemented a sensor occupying 1 cm × 2 cm on a printed circuit board.
Tuned the sensor using precision variable capacitors for a pF full-scale range.

Main Results:

Achieved an 180 aF sensitivity.
Successfully detected <1% Isopropyl Alcohol in DI water.
Detected 15 μm polystyrene spheres in a microfluidic channel with 25 μm electrodes.

Conclusions:

The developed sensor demonstrates high sensitivity and detection capabilities for microfluidic applications.
The compact, integrated design is suitable for Lab on Chip and Lab on Board systems.
This sensor technology holds promise for advanced microfluidic-based analytical devices.