When using a low-value ceramic input filter capacitor, it must be located as close as possible to the VIN pin of the IC. This will eliminate as much trace inductance effects as possible and give the internal IC rail a cleaner voltage supply. Some designs require the use of a feed-forward capacitor connected from the output to the feedback pin as well, usually for stability reasons. In this case, it must also be positioned as close as possible to the IC. Using surface-mount capacitors also reduces lead length and lessens the chance of noise coupling into the effective antenna created by through-hole components.