Variable width
electrically conductive (i) traces and (ii) pads in the forms of castellations and connecting traces upon the surfaces of volume microminiature electronic components permit variable area electrical
interconnection in three dimensions, particularly of monolithic, buried-substrate, multiple
ceramic capacitors to
integrated circuit receivers and amplifiers to make microminiature hearing aids insertable within the
ear canal. A preferred embodiment monolithic multiple
capacitor with side, top and bottom surfaces has a number of
electrically conductive parallel
layers disposed within its body with a conductive trace extending from each layer to be exposed upon a side surface. Metallized
bus strips of at least two widths extend along the side surface; relatively thinner
bus strips selectively interconnecting the exposed traces to form a plurality of capacitors while the relatively thicker
bus strips selectively extend at least some traces to one or more edge(s) of the top and / or bottom surfaces of the body where they may be externally connected, normally to piggy-backed components, by
reflow soldering. The different-width metallized bus strips are preferably made by rectangular saw-
cut slots in the body at differently spaced intervals, the rectangular saw-cuts forming castellations having a greater depth than width to reduce
parasitic capacitance.