Fail open technology reduces the risk of a fail-short condition in a cracked device through the use of unique internal electrode structures. The first configuration, shown on the left on this slide, is known as an Open Mode configuration. For mid- to high-capacitance values, this solution works by extending the margin area between the end termination and the effective (active) area, creating a “safe zone” as shown in the image. This design does not prevent the crack, but rather mitigates the effect, as the crack does not cross electrodes originating from opposite ends of the device. For low- to mid-capacitance values, KEMET offers the Floating Electrode design (or serial cap), which utilizes a cascading internal electrode design, configured to form multiple capacitors in series within a single device. This internal design results in a floating electrode structure. Even if a crack was to propagate through one of the active areas, the device may lose capacitance but will not fail-short. Note that a typical crack cannot cross electrodes originating from both ends of the capacitor. It can only cross electrodes that originate from one end of the capacitor and those floating between the active areas of the internal capacitors.