EE 359

Lumped Element Models for R, L, and C Rev.3

Resistor
Surface mount components (text book Fig. 1-18) are very common in modern electronic
equipment and have much less lead inductance than the old axial lead thru-hole
components which were common up to about 1990 (text book Fig. 1-7). If we ignore this
very small lead inductance, the simple lumped element equivalent circuit for a resistor
reduces to a parallel combination of R and shunt C. R is the nominal or low frequency
value of the resistor and C is the parasitic capacitance between the terminals. The two
circuit elements are in parallel, so it is convenient to convert to admittances since
1
admittances in parallel add to give the total admittance. Let G and YC jC . Fig.
R
1.

Figure 1 Simple model for a surface mount resistor.

If we have the measured value of admittance or impedance of a particular resistor as a

function of frequency, we can find the value of C analytically by first writing the
equation for admittance of the parallel circuit.

Y G jC
1
1
Z
Y G jC
1
Z
G 2 2C 2
At a certain frequency 3, the magnitude of the capacitive susceptance is equal to the
1
1
1
R
conductance: 3C G so that: Z (3 )

2
2 2
2 2
G 2
2
G 3 C
C
G 1 3 2
G
Observe from the measured impedance at what frequency the magnitude is down to
70.7% of its low frequency value, then calculate C:
C

1
3 R

Figure 2 |Z| of a resistor.

Exercise #1: Find values for the equivalent circuit of Fig. 1 using the measured data in
Fig. 2

Inductor
Figure 3 shows a model for a physical inductor with parasitic components RS and CS. See
Fig. 1-14 in textbook.

Figure 3 Simple model for an inductor

In order to study this model we first convert the series combination (L and RS) to an
equivalent parallel combination of RP and LP.

Figure 4 series to parallel conversion

The two circuits will be equivalent if the admittances of each are equal, YS YP .
YS

1
1

Z S RS j L

(0.1)

Now multiply the numerator and denominator of (1.3) by the complex conjugate of the
denominator. Recall that a complex number multiplied by its conjugate is equal to the
magnitude of the complex number squared: z z* z
YS

RS j L
R
j L
2 S2 2 2
2
2 2
RS L
RS L RS 2 L2

The quality factor of the inductor is defined as Q

L
RS

(0.2)

. Using this expression in (1.4)

gives:
YS

RS
j L
2
2
R (1 Q ) RS (1 Q 2 )
2
S

For well-constructed inductors, Q 10 so that 1 and we can approximate YS with:

1
j L
1
j
2 2

. Letting RP Q L , LP L , and including the stray

2
RS Q
RS Q
Q L L
capacitance CS gives the parallel equivalent circuit shown in Fig. 5.
YS

Figure 5 Parallel equivalent circuit for the inductor model.

For this circuit, Y

1
Q L

jCS

j
1
1

j (CS
)
L Q L
L


1
At resonance, the imaginary part of Y is zero ( Im Y (0 ) 0 ). Setting oC
0
0 L

1
and solving for o gives o
. At this frequency, the circuit in Fig. 6 is parallel
LCS

resonant with a minimum purely real admittance Y (o )

1
Q L

and maximum purely real

impedance Z (o ) Q L RP .
In order to calculate the values for the lumped element model of Fig. 3 from measured
values of impedance versus frequency, find the value of L at a frequency where the
component behaves as a perfect inductor and then find resonant frequency o and the
impedance at resonance: Z (o ) RP .

RS

CS

XL

(0.3)

o2 L2

(0.4)

RP
1

o2 L

(0.5)

The conductor losses that cause the parasitic resistance RS exhibit skin effect and are
L
proportional to f . Since Q
then it is easy to show that Q is also proportional to
RS
f .
The Microwave Office part INDQ will model this dependence of Q with frequency.

Figure 6 Impedance plot from a vendor supplied model for an inductor.

Exercise #2: Find the component values for the model in Fig. 3 from data in Fig. 6.

Capacitor
A physical capacitor has a parasitic series inductance and resistance as shown in Fig. 7.
L, R and Re are the parasitic elements. The leakage resistance Re in parallel with C is the
leakage resistance due to the small conductivity of the dielectric. Its effect at high
frequencies is usually included as part of the series resistance R , and the total resistance
d
is known as the Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR). Note that Re
where d is the
diel A
separation between plates of a single layer cap, A is the cross sectional area and diel is
the conductivity of the insulating material between the plates (which is a very small
number). Re accounts for the DC leakage of a capacitor.
Quality factor Q is a figure of merit that measures the loss in a capacitor relative to the
energy stored. If the impedance measured between the terminals of the capacitor is Z ,
im( Z ) X C

then the quality factor is Q

and varies with frequency. Fig. 1-13 in the
re( Z ) ESR
textbook shows the construction of a multilayer capacitor. The terminations are metal and

2 f
f . The
k f
CAPQ part in Microwave Office will model this variation in Q vs. frequency.
exhibit conductor losses with skin effect so that R

f and Q

Figure 7 Simple model for a physical capacitor.

The impedance of this model with the effect of Re included in R is:

1
Z R j ( L
)
C
1
At the series resonant frequency 0
, the inductive and capacitive reactances
LC
cancel, leaving R. This impedance is minimum and purely real: Z (0 ) R

Figure 8 Impedance plot from a vendor supplied model for a capacitor.

Exercise #3: Find the values for the model in Fig. 7 using measured data from Fig.8.