Tank Capacitors

On boards with power traces running longer than six inches in length, it is suggested to use a tank capacitor for integrated circuits, including microcontrollers, to supply a local power source. The value of the tank capacitor should be determined based on the trace resistance that connects the power supply source to the device, and the maximum current drawn by the device in the application. In other words, select the tank capacitor so that it meets the acceptable voltage sag at the device. Typical values range from 4.7 μF to 47 μF.