Learn what the 470pF capacitor code 471 means, its uses in VHF filtering, HF bypass, and EMI suppression, how to choose C0G vs X7R dielectric, package SRF selection, and where to buy from major distributors.

The 470 pF capacitor is one of those mid-range values that doesn’t get talked about much but earns its keep in a surprising number of real circuit designs. It’s too large for sub-GHz impedance matching where you’d want 10–47 pF, and too small for bulk decoupling where you’d reach for 100 nF or higher. But right in between — in VHF filtering, RF bias bypassing, low-pass snubbers, and signal coupling through the 1–50 MHz range — the 470pF capacitor is exactly the right tool.

This article covers what the 470pF capacitor is used for, how to read its EIA code, which package and dielectric to choose, and where to source it with the right specs. Written for PCB engineers who actually need to select and deploy these parts correctly.

What Is a 470 pF Capacitor? Understanding the Code 471

A 470 pF capacitor stores 470 picofarads — 4.7×10⁻¹⁰ farads. In the EIA three-digit capacitor code system, it carries the marking 471: the first two digits (47) are the significant figures, and the third digit (1) is the multiplier — 10¹ = 10, so 47 × 10 = 470 pF. You’ll see this code stamped on ceramic disc caps and printed or laser-marked on chip MLCCs.

In the E12 standard series, 470 pF sits between 390 pF and 560 pF. It’s a standard stocked value at every major distributor and manufacturer, available from 01005 to 1206 chip packages, leaded radial ceramics, and specialty RF types.

The reactance of a 470 pF capacitor at common frequencies:

Frequency	Reactance of 470 pF
1 MHz	338 Ω
10 MHz	33.8 Ω
30 MHz	11.3 Ω
50 MHz	6.8 Ω
100 MHz	3.4 Ω
144 MHz	2.3 Ω
433 MHz	0.78 Ω

This reactance profile shows exactly where the 470 pF lives: at 10–50 MHz it presents moderate impedance suitable for selective filtering and coupling; at 100–144 MHz it’s low enough for effective bypassing; and at 433 MHz and above it’s essentially a short. That frequency range aligns directly with VHF radio, FM broadcast filtering, amateur radio HF/VHF work, and short-wave RF design.

Key Applications of the 470 pF Capacitor

VHF RF Bypass and Bias Decoupling

The most common place you’ll find a 470 pF cap in a VHF design is on a bias feed. Transistor amplifiers, LNAs, and oscillators in the 50–200 MHz range need their DC bias isolated from the RF signal path. A 470 pF bypass cap to ground on the supply or base bias resistor presents less than 4 Ω at 100 MHz — effectively removing that node from the RF circuit while letting DC flow cleanly.

For wideband RF systems covering multiple decades of frequency, a 470 pF cap is often used in parallel with a 10 nF and a 100 nF cap to create a staggered bypass network. Each cap covers a different frequency range, collectively providing low impedance from a few MHz to hundreds of MHz without any gap where an individual cap’s self-resonant frequency creates a high-impedance window.

Low-Pass Filtering in HF and VHF Transmitters

In LC low-pass filters placed after HF and VHF power amplifiers, shunt capacitor values are determined by the filter topology (Butterworth, Chebyshev) and the target cutoff frequency. For cutoff frequencies in the 30–80 MHz range, shunt capacitors often land in the 300–680 pF range — with 470 pF being a natural choice that sits within 10–15% of many calculated values.

A simple 7-element Chebyshev low-pass filter for a 50 MHz transmitter might call for three shunt caps in the 470–560 pF range, giving better than 40 dB of harmonic suppression starting at 100 MHz. This is standard practice in any design needing FCC Part 15 or Part 97 compliance on harmonic emissions.

EMI Filtering on Interface Lines and Cable Shields

On data and control lines entering or leaving equipment, a 470 pF cap from signal to chassis ground provides a first-order high-frequency shunt. The corner frequency with a 75 Ω source impedance is about 4.5 MHz — making it effective at suppressing harmonics from 10–30 MHz UART, CAN, and RS-485 lines that are often the root cause of radiated emissions failures.

For differential lines, a common-mode filter using two 470 pF caps (one from each conductor to ground) is a low-cost way to reduce common-mode RF current on cables without affecting the differential signal. The value is specifically useful when you want the filter corner in the 5–20 MHz range, above most signal content but well below the problematic harmonic frequencies.

Resonant Circuits in VHF Oscillators and Filters

In LC tank circuits for VHF oscillators and bandpass filters, 470 pF is a useful shunt capacitor for resonances in the 10–100 MHz range. Paired with inductors in the 50–500 nH range, it covers the HF and low-VHF spectrum used by AM radio (0.5–1.7 MHz), shortwave (3–30 MHz), FM broadcast (88–108 MHz input circuits), and the 2-meter amateur band (144–148 MHz).

The Q factor of the capacitor directly affects the loaded Q of the resonant circuit and therefore the selectivity and insertion loss of any filter or the phase noise of any oscillator using it. For VHF resonant circuits, always specify a C0G dielectric capacitor with Q > 500 at the operating frequency.

Snubber Networks on Switching Nodes

In power converters and motor drive circuits, ringing on switching nodes is caused by parasitic inductance in the commutation loop resonating with parasitic capacitance. An RC snubber (resistor in series with a capacitor, placed across the switching device or transformer winding) damps this ringing. The capacitor value is typically chosen to be several times the parasitic capacitance — often landing in the 100–1000 pF range. A 470 pF cap in a snubber for a 100 kHz switching power supply can knock down ringing that would otherwise cause conducted EMI failures.

Signal Coupling in HF Receive Circuits

In HF receiver front ends — shortwave radios, SDR input protection circuits, tunable bandpass preselectors — a 470 pF cap is often used as a series coupling element to block DC between stages while passing HF signals. At 7 MHz (40-meter amateur band), 470 pF presents about 48 Ω — enough insertion loss to be considered in a careful impedance budget, but workable in most 50 Ω receive chain designs.

Dielectric Selection for 470 pF Capacitors

Dielectric	Temp Stability	Voltage Coefficient	Q Factor	When to Use 470 pF
C0G (NP0)	±30 ppm/°C	None	Very high, Q > 500	RF circuits, filters, oscillators, precision coupling
X7R	±15% over −55°C to +125°C	Moderate	Moderate	Bypass, snubber, EMI filter on non-critical lines
X5R	±15% over −55°C to +85°C	Moderate	Moderate	Low-voltage bypass only
Y5V	+22% / −82% over range	Severe	Low	Never use in any RF or signal path

The practical rule: C0G for anything in a signal path or frequency-sensitive circuit; X7R acceptable for bypass and snubber duties where exact capacitance doesn’t determine filter frequency or resonance.

A specific failure mode worth knowing: an X7R 470 pF cap used as a shunt capacitor in a VHF bandpass filter will show a center frequency shift of several percent over temperature. In a narrowband filter at 144 MHz with a Q of 20 (7.2 MHz bandwidth), that’s manageable. In a filter at 50 MHz with a Q of 50 (1 MHz bandwidth), it will pull the passband enough to affect performance at temperature extremes.

Package Selection for 470 pF Capacitors

Package	Size (mm)	Typical SRF (470 pF)	Best Application
1206 (3216M)	3.2 × 1.6	~100–200 MHz	High-voltage, leaded replacement, power snubbers
0805 (2012M)	2.0 × 1.25	~200–350 MHz	General bypass, through-hole era prototyping
0603 (1608M)	1.6 × 0.8	~300–500 MHz	HF/VHF bypass, EMI filtering to 100 MHz
0402 (1005M)	1.0 × 0.5	~500 MHz–1 GHz	VHF/UHF bypass, RF filter, signal coupling
0201 (0603M)	0.6 × 0.3	~700 MHz–1.5 GHz	433 MHz and above, miniaturized RF

For most VHF applications at 30–150 MHz, 0603 is adequate with its SRF comfortably above the operating frequency. For 300–500 MHz work, move to 0402. The SRF concern is real: a 470 pF cap in 0805 with an SRF of 250 MHz used as a bypass at 300 MHz is operating above its resonance — the cap looks inductive and fails completely as a bypass element.

Recommended 470 pF Capacitor Part Numbers

Manufacturer	Part Number	Package	Dielectric	Tolerance	Voltage
Murata	GRM1555C1H471JA01D	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
TDK	C1005C0G1H471J050BA	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
KEMET	C0402C471J5GACTU	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
Vishay	VJ0402A471JXACW1BC	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
Würth Elektronik	885012005034	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
AVX/Kyocera	04025A471JAT2A	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
Yageo	CC0402JRNP09BN471	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V
Samsung	CL05C471JB5NNNC	0402	C0G	±5%	50 V

For higher-voltage snubber applications, consider the KEMET C0G 1206 series in 100–500V ratings. For RF power amplifier bypass requiring high RF current handling, ATC 100B series parts offer better Q and current ratings than standard MLCCs.

PCB Layout Guidelines for 470 pF RF Capacitors

Place bypass caps directly at the component pin they’re decoupling. For a VHF transistor amplifier, the 470 pF bias bypass cap should be within 2–3 mm of the transistor supply pin, with a direct ground via at the cap’s ground pad. Longer traces add series inductance that degrades the bypass at the intended frequency.

Use a ground via directly at the capacitor ground pad. Don’t route a trace to a shared via some distance away. At 100 MHz, even 3 mm of trace adds ~1.5 nH of inductance, shifting the effective bypass impedance from near-zero to several ohms.

For filter capacitors, use the manufacturer’s recommended land pattern. Oversized pads increase parasitic shunt capacitance, which lowers the effective SRF and changes the filter response. This matters most at 100–300 MHz where the 470 pF cap’s SRF is already within the range of concern for some packages.

Don’t run signal traces under or next to a 470 pF bypass cap. Capacitive coupling between a nearby signal trace and the cap can introduce unwanted signal paths in sensitive RF circuits, particularly in oscillators and low-noise amplifiers where even −40 dBc of spurious coupling is visible.

Verify SRF against your operating frequency before finalizing the BOM. Pull the manufacturer’s impedance vs. frequency plot from SimSurfing, REDEXPERT, or KSIM and confirm the SRF is comfortably above (ideally 3× or more) your target operating frequency for bypass applications.

Useful Resources for 470 pF Capacitor Design

• Murata SimSurfing – Impedance, ESR, and S-parameter simulation for Murata MLCCs: ds.murata.com/simsurfing
• Würth Elektronik REDEXPERT – Component impedance simulation with real measured data: we-online.com/redexpert
• KEMET KSIM – Online capacitor simulation tool with temperature performance: ksim.kemet.com
• TDK Product Finder with S-parameter Files: product.tdk.com
• ATC 100B RF Chip Capacitor Datasheet Library: atceramics.com
• Mini-Circuits RF Filter Design Calculator – L-network and pi-filter synthesis for VHF: minicircuits.com
• ARRL Handbook Online – Practical reference for HF/VHF filter and oscillator design using discrete LC components: arrl.org
• Sonnet Lite (Free EM Simulator) – PCB-level parasitic extraction for RF layouts: sonnetsoftware.com
• Digi-Key Capacitor Parametric Search: digikey.com

Frequently Asked Questions About 470 pF Capacitors

What does the capacitor code 471 mean?

The code 471 is the EIA three-digit marking for a 470 pF capacitor. The first two digits (47) are the significant figures, and the third digit (1) is the power-of-ten multiplier — 10¹ = 10. So 47 × 10 = 470 pF. This system is used on ceramic chip and disc capacitors where the full value label can’t be printed. Other examples in the same series: 470 = 47 pF, 472 = 4700 pF (4.7 nF), 473 = 47,000 pF (47 nF).

When should I use C0G vs. X7R for a 470 pF capacitor?

Use C0G whenever the 470 pF cap is in a signal path, resonant circuit, filter, or oscillator — anywhere the capacitance value determines or contributes to a frequency-dependent function. X7R capacitance varies by ±15% over temperature, which would shift your filter corner or resonant frequency unacceptably. Use X7R when the cap is purely for bypass or snubber duty on a power rail or switching node where exact capacitance doesn’t determine a circuit frequency, and where the cost saving from X7R is meaningful in production volumes.

What package should I choose for a 470 pF cap at 144 MHz?

For 144 MHz (2-meter VHF band), a 0402 package is the right choice. An 0402 C0G 470 pF cap typically has an SRF in the 500 MHz–1 GHz range — comfortably above 144 MHz — meaning it will behave capacitively at your operating frequency and provide effective bypass or filter function. An 0805 package at the same value might have an SRF of only 200–250 MHz, which is too close to 144 MHz to be reliable. Always verify SRF from the specific manufacturer datasheet using tools like Murata SimSurfing or REDEXPERT.

Can a 470 pF capacitor replace a 470 nF capacitor in a decoupling circuit?

No — 470 pF and 470 nF differ by a factor of 1000 in capacitance. A 470 nF (0.47 µF) cap is a standard mid-frequency decoupling cap for digital ICs, presenting about 0.34 Ω at 1 MHz. A 470 pF cap presents 338 Ω at 1 MHz — essentially useless for decoupling switching noise from a digital power rail. The 470 pF cap lives in a completely different frequency regime. If you’re reading a BOM or schematic and see both values, they are doing entirely different jobs at entirely different frequencies.

Why does my 470 pF bypass cap work fine at room temperature but poorly at −40°C?

Most likely you’re using X7R dielectric, which can lose up to 15% of its capacitance at −40°C. For a 470 pF cap, that means the actual value at cold temperature might be as low as 400 pF — shifting the bypass or filter corner frequency by roughly 8%. For a wideband bypass cap this might be acceptable, but if the 470 pF cap is setting an important filter corner or contributing to a resonant circuit, that drift causes measurable performance degradation. Swap to C0G dielectric: same value, same package, temperature-stable to within ±30 ppm/°C across the full industrial range.

The 470 pF capacitor is exactly the right value for a specific and important slice of RF and HF design work: VHF bypass, harmonic filtering in the 30–100 MHz range, EMI suppression on cable interfaces, and LC resonant circuits through the HF and VHF bands. Specify C0G dielectric, choose 0402 or 0603 based on your SRF requirements, and place it with a direct ground via — and code 471 will do exactly what your circuit needs.