Decoupling Capacitor

A decoupling capacitor is a capacitor placed close to an integrated circuit or other active component to provide a local reservoir of electrical charge and filter out noise from the power supply. It helps maintain stable voltage levels by supplying instantaneous current when the IC draws power and absorbing voltage spikes or fluctuations. These capacitors are typically placed between the power supply pins (VCC/VDD and ground) of chips to improve circuit reliability and reduce electromagnetic interference.