8.2.2.2.2 Output Capacitor

For the output capacitor, use of a small ceramic capacitors placed as close as possible to the VOUT and GND pins of the IC is recommended. If, for any reason, the application requires the use of large capacitors which can not be placed close to the IC, use a smaller ceramic capacitor in parallel to the large capacitor. The small capacitor should be placed as close as possible to the VOUT and GND pins of the IC. The recommended typical output capacitor value is 30 µF.

There is also no upper limit for the output capacitance value. Larger capacitors will cause lower output voltage ripple as well as lower output voltage drop during load transients.

When choosing input and output capacitors, it needs to be kept in mind, that the value of capacitance experiences significant losses from their rated value depending on the operating temperature and the operating DC voltage. It is not uncommon for a small surface mount ceramic capacitor to lose 50% and more of its rated capacitance. For this reason it could be important to use a larger value of capacitance or a capacitor with higher voltage rating in order to ensure the required capacitance at the full operating voltage.