What this TPS tantalum capacitor delivers
ESR and voltage derating — what they mean on the board
At 150 mOhm ESR, the capacitor handles ripple current without excessive self-heating. For a 100 kHz buck converter output, the ripple voltage calculates as Iripple × ESR — a 1 A ripple produces 150 mV of output ripple, which is acceptable for many digital loads. Tantalum capacitors require voltage derating: stay at or below 80% of the 16 V rating (12.8 V) for reliable operation. On a 12 V rail, this part operates within the safe derating envelope.
