Multilayer electronic component

Abstract

A multilayer electronic component is provided. The multilayer electronic component includes a main body including a plurality of internal electrodes and dielectric layers laminated between the plurality of internal electrodes, and an external electrode disposed on the main body and connected to the plurality of internal electrodes. The plurality of internal electrodes includes two or more internal electrodes having different thicknesses, a maximum-thickness internal electrode having a maximum thickness among the plurality of internal electrodes and a minimum-thickness internal electrode having a minimum thickness are disposed on a first outermost side and a second outermost side, respectively, the first outermost side and the second outermost side being opposite to each other in a lamination direction of the plurality of internal electrodes. A thickness of each internal electrode disposed between the maximum-thickness internal electrode and the minimum-thickness internal electrode is equal to or greater than a thickness of an adjacent internal electrode adjacent to the internal electrode toward the second outermost side in the lamination direction.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0174343, filed on December 14, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a multilayer electronic component. Background Technology

[0003] Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) (a type of multilayer electronic component) can be chip capacitors mounted on printed circuit boards of various types of electronic products, such as image display devices including liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma display panels (PDPs), computers, smartphones, mobile phones, etc., and can be charged or discharged.

[0004] Because such multilayer ceramic capacitors can have small size and high capacitance, and can be easily mounted, they can be used as components in a variety of electronic devices. As electronic device components are designed to have smaller dimensions, the demand for miniaturized and high-capacitance multilayer ceramic capacitors has increased.

[0005] With the development of a multilayer ceramic capacitor that has high capacitance by utilizing an increased number of stacked internal electrodes, the imbalance of interlayer current density of the internal electrodes disposed in the capacitor may increase.

[0006] In other words, as the deviation of the electrical path increases with the distance between the mounting plate and the internal electrodes, an imbalance in current density may occur (current concentrates in the internal electrodes located adjacent to the mounting plate), which may become a factor that degrades the product reliability of multilayer ceramic capacitors.

[0007] Therefore, with the increasing demand for miniaturization and high capacitance in multilayer ceramic capacitors, a technique may be needed to reduce the imbalance of current density between internal electrodes located at different distances from the mounting plate. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide a multilayer electronic assembly that can reduce the imbalance of current density between internal electrodes disposed at different distances from a mounting plate.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a multilayer electronic component includes: a body including a stacked dielectric layer and a plurality of inner electrodes, the dielectric layer being disposed between the plurality of inner electrodes; and an outer electrode disposed on the body and connected to the plurality of inner electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes may include two or more inner electrodes with different thicknesses. A maximum thickness inner electrode and a minimum thickness inner electrode are respectively disposed on a first outermost side and a second outermost side, the first outermost side and the second outermost side facing each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes. The thickness of each inner electrode disposed between the maximum thickness inner electrode and the minimum thickness inner electrode is equal to or greater than the thickness of an adjacent inner electrode adjacent to that inner electrode in the stacking direction toward the second outermost side.

[0010] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a multilayer electronic component includes a body comprising stacked dielectric layers and a plurality of inner electrodes, the dielectric layers being interposed between the plurality of inner electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes includes a maximum thickness inner electrode disposed on a first outermost layer having a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness inner electrode disposed on a second outermost layer having a minimum thickness, the first outermost layer and the second outermost layer being opposite to each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes are configured such that the thickness of each of the plurality of inner electrodes gradually decreases from the first outermost layer to the second outermost layer.

[0011] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a multilayer electronic component includes a body comprising stacked dielectric layers and a plurality of inner electrodes, the dielectric layers being interposed between the plurality of inner electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes includes a maximum thickness inner electrode disposed on the outermost bottom layer and a minimum thickness inner electrode disposed on the outermost top layer, the outermost top layer and the outermost bottom layer being opposite to each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes are configured such that the thickness of each of the plurality of inner electrodes gradually increases from the outermost top layer to the outermost bottom layer. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of this disclosure will be more clearly understood by taking into account the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 This is a perspective view illustrating a multilayer electronic assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is a plan view showing each of the first and second internal electrodes included in a multilayer electronic assembly;

[0015] Figure 3It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken from line I-I' in the diagram;

[0016] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a first variant example of an example embodiment; and

[0017] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a second variant example of the example embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0018] In the following description, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] However, this disclosure may be exemplified in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. For clarity of description, the shapes and dimensions of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated, and elements indicated by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements.

[0020] Furthermore, it should be understood that, unless otherwise stated, when a part “includes” one element, it may also include another element, without excluding the other element.

[0021] Regarding the orientation in the example embodiment, X, Y, and Z in the figures represent the length direction, width direction, and thickness direction of the multilayer electronic component, respectively.

[0022] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the length direction can be the X direction or a first direction, the width direction can be the Y direction or a second direction, and the thickness direction can be the Z direction, a third direction, or a stacking direction.

[0023] Throughout this specification, unless otherwise specifically stated, when a component is referred to as “including” or “contains”, it means that the component may also include other components, without excluding other components.

[0024] In this specification, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may contain” may include the presence of corresponding features (e.g., features such as numbers, functions, operations, components, etc.) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0025] In this specification, the term "aspect" of a component includes not only the case where the component is positioned in direct contact with the component, but also the case where another component is positioned between the component and the component.

[0026] In this specification, expressions such as “A or B”, “at least one of A and / or B”, “one or more of A and / or B”, etc., may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. For example, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B or (3) a case that includes both at least one A and at least one B.

[0027] Multilayer electronic components

[0028] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a multilayer electronic assembly according to an example embodiment. Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a plan view showing the first and second internal electrodes included in a multilayer electronic assembly. Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view taken from line I-I' in the diagram.

[0029] In the following description, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 3 Describes a multilayer electronic component according to an example embodiment.

[0030] The multilayer electronic component 100 in the example embodiment may include: a body 110 including a stacked dielectric layer 111 and a plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122, the dielectric layer 111 being disposed between the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122; and outer electrodes 131 and 132 disposed on the body 110 and connected to the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122. The outer electrode 131 includes an end portion 131a and a strip portion 131b, and the outer electrode 132 includes an end portion 132a and a strip portion 132b.

[0031] The main body 110 can be formed by alternately stacking dielectric layers 111 and internal electrodes 121 and 122.

[0032] The shape of the body 110 is not limited to any particular shape and may have a hexahedral or hexahedral shape, as shown in the figure. Due to the shrinkage of the ceramic powder included in the body 110 during the sintering process, the body 110 may have a generally hexahedral shape.

[0033] The main body 110 may have a first surface 1 and a second surface 2 that are opposite to each other in the thickness direction (Z direction), a third surface 3 and a fourth surface 4 that are connected to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 and are opposite to each other in the length direction (X direction), and a fifth surface 5 and a sixth surface 6 that are connected to the first surface 1, the second surface 2, the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 and are opposite to each other in the width direction (Y direction).

[0034] The multiple dielectric layers 111 forming the body 110 can be in a sintered state, and the boundaries between adjacent dielectric layers 111 can be integrated, making the boundaries difficult to identify without using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

[0035] The material used to form the dielectric layer 111 is not limited to any specific material, as long as it can provide sufficient capacitance. For example, barium titanate, lead-based perovskite, or strontium titanate can be used.

[0036] In addition to powders such as barium titanate (BaTiO3), materials used to form dielectric layer 111 may include various ceramic additives, organic solvents, binders and dispersants.

[0037] The main body 110 may include: a capacitor forming section, in which a plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 are disposed; and an upper cover 112 and a lower cover 113, respectively disposed at both ends of the capacitor forming section in the stacking direction (Z direction) of the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122.

[0038] The capacitor forming section can contribute to the capacitance of the capacitor and can be formed by alternately arranging multiple internal electrodes 121 and 122 with a dielectric layer 111 between them.

[0039] The upper cover portion 112 and the lower cover portion 113 can be formed by stacking a single dielectric layer or two or more dielectric layers above and below the capacitor forming portion in the thickness direction, respectively, and can prevent damage to the internal electrode caused by physical stress or chemical stress.

[0040] The upper cover 112 and the lower cover 113 may not include an internal electrode and may include the same material as the dielectric layer 111. In other words, the upper cover 112 and the lower cover 113 may include a ceramic material, such as barium titanate (BaTiO3) ceramic material.

[0041] Multiple internal electrodes 121 and 122 may be alternately stacked with dielectric layer 111.

[0042] The first external electrode 131 and the second external electrode 132 may be formed on two end surfaces of the body 110 in the first direction (X direction), and the plurality of internal electrodes 121 and 122 may include a first internal electrode 121 connected to the first external electrode 131 and a second internal electrode 122 connected to the second external electrode 132.

[0043] The first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 may be alternately arranged opposite each other, wherein the dielectric layer 111 is located between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122, and the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 may be exposed on the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 of the body 110, respectively.

[0044] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 may be exposed on the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 of the body 110, respectively. Specifically, the first inner electrode 121 may be spaced apart from the fourth surface 4 and may be exposed through the third surface 3, and the second inner electrode 122 may be spaced apart from the third surface 3 and may be exposed through the fourth surface 4.

[0045] The first external electrode 131 can be disposed on the third surface 3 of the main body 110 and can be connected to the first internal electrode 121, and the second external electrode 132 can be disposed on the fourth surface 4 of the main body 110 and can be connected to the second internal electrode 122.

[0046] In this configuration, the first external electrode 131 and the second internal electrode 122 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction (X direction), and the second external electrode 132 and the first internal electrode 121 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction (X direction). The spacing between the first external electrode 131 and the second internal electrode 122 may be the same as the spacing between the second external electrode 132 and the first internal electrode 121.

[0047] Reference Figure 2A and Figure 2B The body 110 can be formed by stacking a dielectric layer 111 on which a first internal electrode 121 is printed and a dielectric layer 111 on which a second internal electrode 122 is printed in the thickness direction (Z direction) and sintering the dielectric layer 111.

[0048] In this case, the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 can be electrically separated from each other by the dielectric layer 111 disposed between them.

[0049] The materials used to form the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 are not limited to any particular material, and can be formed using conductive paste made from noble metal materials and at least one of nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu).

[0050] As a method for printing conductive paste, screen printing or gravure printing can be used, and exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0051] External electrodes 131 and 132 may be disposed on the main body 110 and may be connected to internal electrodes 121 and 122.

[0052] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may include a first external electrode 131 and a second external electrode 132. The first external electrode 131 is disposed on the third surface 3 of the body 110 and connected to the first internal electrode 121, and the second external electrode 132 is disposed on the fourth surface 4 of the body 110 and connected to the second internal electrode 122.

[0053] In the example embodiment, a multilayer electronic component 100 is described having a structure with two external electrodes 131 and 132, but the number or shape of the external electrodes 131 and 132 may be changed depending on the shape of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 and other purposes.

[0054] The external electrodes 131 and 132 can be formed from various conductive materials such as metals, and the specific materials can be determined by taking into account electrical properties and structural stability.

[0055] For example, the external electrodes 131 and 132 can be sintered electrodes containing conductive metal and glass components, or resin electrodes containing conductive metal and resin.

[0056] Furthermore, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may be in the form of a sintered electrode and a resin electrode sequentially formed on the body 110. Additionally, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may be formed by transferring a sheet containing conductive metal onto the body 110 or by transferring a sheet containing conductive metal onto a sintered electrode.

[0057] Materials with excellent electrical conductivity can be used as conductive metals included in the outer electrodes 131 and 132, and the materials are not limited to any particular material. For example, the conductive metal can be one or more of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and their alloys.

[0058] The first external electrode 131 and the second external electrode 132 may further include plating layers. The plating layers may include a first nickel (Ni) plating layer and a second nickel (Ni) plating layer, as well as a first tin (Sn) plating layer and a second tin (Sn) plating layer respectively covering the first nickel plating layer and the second nickel plating layer.

[0059] Reference Figure 3 The multilayer electronic component 100 in the example embodiment may include two or more internal electrodes 121 and 122 with different thicknesses.

[0060] In the example embodiment, “thickness” may refer to the thickness of the component measured in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the component, and the thickness of the inner electrode may refer to the average thickness.

[0061] Specifically, "average thickness" can refer to the arithmetic mean of the thickness measured at 10 points at equal intervals on the cross-sectional surface of the multilayer electronic component (the area where the internal electrodes are located) intersecting the center of the multilayer electronic component along the XZ direction.

[0062] According to an example embodiment, among the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122, an inner electrode with the largest thickness (“maximum thickness inner electrode”) and an inner electrode with the smallest thickness (“minimum thickness inner electrode”) may be disposed on a first outermost 120-1 and a second outermost 120-2, respectively, the first outermost 120-1 and the second outermost 120-2 being opposite to each other in the stacking direction (Z direction) of the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122. The thickness of each of the inner electrodes disposed between the maximum thickness inner electrode and the minimum thickness inner electrode may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the adjacent inner electrode adjacent to that inner electrode in the stacking direction toward the second outermost 120-2.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, among the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 disposed in the main body 110, the inner electrode with the largest average thickness may be disposed on the first outermost 120-1 of the main body 110. The first outermost 120-1 may correspond to one of the two inner electrodes 121 and 122 disposed on the outermost side in the stacking direction (Z direction).

[0064] Therefore, the first outermost 120-1 may correspond to the inner electrode (not shown) closest to the first surface 1 of the body 110, or it may correspond to the inner electrode (e.g., the inner electrode closest to the second surface 2 of the body 110). Figure 3 (As shown).

[0065] Similarly, among the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 disposed in the main body 110, the inner electrode having the minimum average thickness may be disposed on the second outermost 120-2 of the main body 110. The second outermost 120-2 may correspond to another of the two inner electrodes 121 and 122 disposed on the outermost side in the stacking direction (Z direction).

[0066] Therefore, the second outermost 120-2 can correspond to the inner electrode closest to the first surface 1 of the body 110 (e.g., Figure 3 (as shown), or it may correspond to the inner electrode (not shown) closest to the second surface 2 of the body 110.

[0067] As an example, when the first outermost 120-1, on which the inner electrode with the maximum thickness is disposed, is positioned adjacent to the second surface 2 of the body 110, the second outermost 120-2, on which the inner electrode with the minimum thickness is disposed, can be positioned adjacent to the first surface 1 of the body 110. In this case, when the multilayer electronic assembly 100 is mounted on the printed circuit board, the second outermost 120-2 may correspond to the inner electrode closest to the mounting surface.

[0068] When the first outermost 120-1, on which the inner electrode with the maximum thickness is disposed, is positioned adjacent to the first surface 1 of the body 110, the second outermost 120-2, on which the inner electrode with the minimum thickness is disposed, can be positioned adjacent to the second surface 2 of the body 110. In this case, when the multilayer electronic assembly 100 is mounted on a printed circuit board, the first outermost 120-1 may correspond to the inner electrode closest to the mounting surface.

[0069] Reference Figure 3 In the example embodiment, the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 may be configured such that their thickness gradually decreases from the first outermost 120-1 toward the second outermost 120-2.

[0070] In this case, the spacing between the multiple internal electrodes 121 and 122 in the stacking direction (Z direction) can be constant.

[0071] When multiple inner electrodes 121 and 122 are arranged such that the average thickness gradually decreases in one direction, the resistance R and parasitic inductance L of the inner electrodes 121 and 122 may be different.

[0072] Specifically, according to the general technical level of the field to which this disclosure pertains, resistance and parasitic inductance can decrease as the conductor thickness increases, and resistance and parasitic inductance can increase as the conductor thickness decreases.

[0073] When the inner electrodes 121 and 122 are configured such that their average thickness gradually decreases from the first outermost 120-1 toward the second outermost 120-2, the inner electrodes 121 and 122 may have a tendency for their resistance and parasitic inductance to increase from the first outermost 120-1 toward the second outermost 120-2.

[0074] The thickness of each of the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 can be varied. For example, among the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122, when the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the first outermost 120-1 is defined as t1, and the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the second outermost 120-2 is defined as t2, t1 and t2 can satisfy t1 ≤ 2 × t2. The thicknesses t1 and t2 can refer to the average thickness of the respective inner electrodes.

[0075] When the average thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the first outermost 120-1 exceeds twice the average thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the second outermost 120-2, the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the first outermost 120-1 may be too large, making it unsuitable for the miniaturization and high capacitance of the multilayer electronic component 100. When the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the second outermost 120-2 is too small, the electrode connectivity may deteriorate.

[0076] In the example embodiment, when the distance from the mounting surface of the printed circuit board to the corresponding internal electrode is defined as the electrical path of the internal electrode, among the plurality of internal electrodes 121 and 122, the internal electrode closest to the mounting surface may have the shortest electrical path, and the internal electrode farthest from the mounting surface may have the longest electrical path.

[0077] Referring to the general level of skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains, resistance and parasitic inductance can increase with increasing conductor length, and can decrease with decreasing conductor length. Therefore, the longer the electrical path, the higher the resistance and parasitic inductance, and the shorter the electrical path, the lower the resistance and parasitic inductance.

[0078] Therefore, among the multiple internal electrodes 121 and 122, the closer the internal electrode is to the mounting surface, the lower the resistance and parasitic inductance can be, and the farther the internal electrode is from the mounting surface, the higher the resistance and parasitic inductance can be.

[0079] As described above, due to differences in electrical paths, deviations in resistance and parasitic inductance may occur between the multiple internal electrodes 121 and 122 disposed in a single multilayer electronic component 100. Therefore, current may concentrate in the internal electrodes adjacent to the mounting surface, potentially causing an imbalance in current density between the internal electrodes.

[0080] According to an example embodiment, when the second outermost 120-2 of the multilayer electronic component 100 is disposed on the mounting surface of the printed circuit board, the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 may have the following tendency: the further the plurality of inner electrodes 121 and 122 are spaced from the mounting surface, the greater the resistance and parasitic inductance.

[0081] When the multilayer electronic assembly 100 is installed along the aforementioned direction, the inner electrode disposed on the second outermost 120-2 can have the maximum resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrode thickness, and the minimum resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrical path. Furthermore, the inner electrode disposed on the first outermost 120-1 can have the minimum resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrode thickness, and the maximum resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrical path. Therefore, the deviations in resistance and parasitic inductance of each inner electrode can cancel each other out.

[0082] Therefore, when the multiple inner electrodes 121 and 122 tend to have a greater thickness as they are spaced further apart from the mounting surface, the deviation of resistance and parasitic inductance between the inner electrodes can be reduced.

[0083] Therefore, current concentration can be prevented in the inner electrodes adjacent to the mounting surface, thereby reducing the imbalance of current density among the multiple inner electrodes 121 and 122.

[0084] According to another example embodiment, the first outermost 120-1 of the multilayer electronic component 100 may be disposed on the mounting surface side of the printed circuit board.

[0085] In this case, the equivalent series resistance (ESR) generated in the multilayer electronic component 100 can be reduced.

[0086] (Example of a variation)

[0087] Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is shown Figure 3 Cross-sectional views of the first and second variant examples of the example embodiments in the example.

[0088] Reference Figure 4 The main body 110 may include a region C1 corresponding to the upper cover portion 112 and a region C2 corresponding to the lower cover portion 113 at both ends in the stacking direction (Z direction), and may include a capacitor forming portion A, which includes a plurality of internal electrodes between these regions.

[0089] The capacitor forming section A may include a first region A1 and a second region A2, wherein an inner electrode with the maximum thickness is disposed in the first region A1 and an inner electrode with the minimum thickness is disposed in the second region A2. In other words, according to the first variant example, the capacitor forming section A, in which a plurality of inner electrodes are disposed, may be divided into two regions.

[0090] In the first region A1, first inner electrode groups 121a and 122a may be provided, with a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the first outermost 120-1 in the above embodiment being stacked in the first inner electrode groups 121a and 122a. Furthermore, in the second region A2, second inner electrode groups 121b and 122b may be provided, with a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the second outermost 120-2 in the above embodiment being stacked in the second inner electrode groups 121b and 122b.

[0091] In the capacitor forming section A, two inner electrodes with different thicknesses may be provided, and a first inner electrode group including an inner electrode with a relatively large thickness or a relatively high thickness may be provided in the first region A1, and a second inner electrode group 121b and 122b including an inner electrode with a relatively small thickness may be provided in the second region A2.

[0092] The thickness difference of the inner electrodes included in the first inner electrode groups 121a and 122a and the second inner electrode groups 121b and 122b can be varied. For example, when the thickness of the inner electrode disposed in the first inner electrode groups 121a and 122a is defined as t11, and the thickness of the inner electrode disposed in the second inner electrode groups 121b and 122b is defined as t12, t11 and t12 can satisfy t11≤2×t12. Thicknesses t11 and t12 can refer to the average thickness.

[0093] When the thickness of the internal electrodes included in the first internal electrode groups 121a and 122a exceeds twice the thickness of the internal electrodes included in the second internal electrode groups 121b and 122b, the thickness of the internal electrodes in the first internal electrode groups 121a and 122a may be too large, making it unsuitable for the miniaturization and high capacitance of the multilayer electronic component 100. When the thickness of the internal electrodes in the second internal electrode groups 121b and 122b is too small, the connectivity of the electrodes may deteriorate.

[0094] According to a variant example, the spacing between the multiple inner electrodes disposed in the first region A1 and the second region A2 in the stacking direction (Z direction) can be constant.

[0095] In this case, the lengths of the first region A1 and the second region A2 in the stacking direction (Z direction) can be the same. In this case, the number of internal electrodes included in the first region A1 can be less than the number of internal electrodes included in the second region A2.

[0096] As another example, the number of internal electrodes included in the first region A1 and the second region A2 can be the same. In this case, the length of the first region A1 in the stacking direction can be longer than the length of the second region A2 in the stacking direction.

[0097] Reference Figure 5 The main body 110 may include a region C1 corresponding to the upper cover 112 and a region C2 corresponding to the lower cover 113, and may include a capacitor forming part A', which includes a plurality of internal electrodes between these regions.

[0098] The capacitor forming section A' may include three or more regions in which internal electrodes with different average thicknesses are disposed, and the internal electrodes included in the same region of the capacitor forming section A' may have the same thickness.

[0099] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the capacitor forming section A' may include three regions A3, A4, and A5. The following description illustrates an example where the capacitor forming section A' may include three regions A3, A4, and A5; this example can also be applied to capacitor forming sections including different numbers of regions.

[0100] According to a variant example, the capacitor forming section A' may include a third region A3, a fifth region A5, and a fourth region A4. The third region A3 contains an inner electrode with the largest thickness among a plurality of inner electrodes, the fifth region A5 contains an inner electrode with the smallest thickness among a plurality of inner electrodes, and the fourth region A4 contains an inner electrode with an intermediate thickness (i.e., a thickness between the maximum and minimum thickness). In a second variant example, the capacitor forming section A' containing a plurality of inner electrodes may be divided into three regions.

[0101] In this configuration, in the third region A3, third inner electrode groups 121c and 122c can be provided, with multiple inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the first outermost 120-1 in the above embodiment stacked within the third inner electrode groups 121c and 122c. Furthermore, in the fifth region A5, fifth inner electrode groups 121e and 122e can be provided, with multiple inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the second outermost 120-2 in the above embodiment stacked within the fifth inner electrode groups 121e and 122e. In the fourth region A4, fourth inner electrode groups 121d and 122d can be provided, with multiple inner electrodes having a thickness smaller than the inner electrode provided in the third region A3 and a thickness larger than the inner electrode provided in the fifth region A5 stacked within the fourth inner electrode groups 121d and 122d.

[0102] In other words, internal electrodes with three different thicknesses can be provided in the capacitor forming section A'. A third internal electrode group 121c and 122c, including internal electrodes with relatively large thicknesses, can be provided in the third region A3; a fourth internal electrode group 121d and 122d, including internal electrodes with intermediate thicknesses, can be provided in the fourth region A4; and a fifth internal electrode group 121e and 122e, including internal electrodes with relatively small thicknesses, can be provided in the fifth region A5.

[0103] The thicknesses of the inner electrodes in the third inner electrode groups 121c and 122c, the fourth inner electrode groups 121d and 122d, and the fifth inner electrode groups 121e and 122e can vary. For example, when the thickness of the inner electrodes in the third inner electrode groups 121c and 122c is defined as t13, and the thickness of the inner electrodes in the fifth inner electrode groups 121e and 122e is defined as t15, t13 and t15 can satisfy t13 ≤ 2 × t15. In this case, the thicknesses t13 and t15 can refer to the average thickness.

[0104] When the thickness of the internal electrodes included in the third internal electrode groups 121c and 122c exceeds twice the thickness of the internal electrodes included in the fifth internal electrode groups 121e and 122e, the thickness of the internal electrodes included in the third internal electrode groups 121c and 122c may be too large, making it unsuitable for the miniaturization and high capacitance of the multilayer electronic component 100. Furthermore, the thickness of the internal electrodes provided in the fifth internal electrode groups 121e and 122e may be too small, potentially degrading the electrode connectivity.

[0105] Furthermore, for example, when the thickness of the inner electrodes provided in the fourth inner electrode groups 121d and 122d is defined as t14, t14 may correspond to the average value of t13 and t15.

[0106] According to the variant example, the spacing between multiple inner electrodes disposed in the third region A3, the fourth region A4, and the fifth region A5 in the stacking direction (Z direction) can be constant.

[0107] In this case, the lengths of the third region A3, the fourth region A4, and the fifth region A5 in the stacking direction (Z direction) can be the same. In this case, the number of internal electrodes included in the third region A3 can be the minimum, and the number of internal electrodes included in the fifth region A5 can be the maximum.

[0108] As another example, the number of internal electrodes included in the third region A3, the fourth region A4, and the fifth region A5 can be the same. In this case, the third region A3 can be the longest in the stacking direction, and the fifth region A5 can be the shortest in the stacking direction.

[0109] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the variant examples shown, multilayer electronic components may be mounted on the board in different orientations according to various example embodiments.

[0110] According to the example embodiment, when the second inner electrode group 121b and 122b or the fifth inner electrode group 121e and 122e are disposed on the mounting surface of the printed circuit board, the multiple inner electrodes may have the following tendency: the greater the distance between the multiple inner electrodes and the mounting surface, the greater the resistance and parasitic inductance.

[0111] When the multilayer electronic assembly 100 is installed along the aforementioned direction, the inner electrodes disposed in the second inner electrode groups 121b and 122b or the fifth inner electrode groups 121e and 122e can have the highest resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrode thickness, and the lowest resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrical path. Furthermore, the inner electrodes disposed in the first inner electrode groups 121a and 122a or the third inner electrode groups 121c and 122c can have the lowest resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrode thickness, and the highest resistance and parasitic inductance in terms of electrical path. Therefore, the deviations in resistance and parasitic inductance of each inner electrode can cancel each other out.

[0112] Therefore, when multiple internal electrodes tend to have a greater thickness as they are spaced further apart from the mounting surface, the deviation in resistance and parasitic inductance between the internal electrodes can be reduced.

[0113] Furthermore, this can suppress current concentration in the inner electrodes adjacent to the mounting surface, thereby reducing the imbalance of current density among multiple inner electrodes.

[0114] According to another example embodiment, the first internal electrode group 121a and 122a or the third internal electrode group 121c and 122c may be disposed on the mounting surface of the printed circuit board.

[0115] In this case, the equivalent series resistance (ESR) generated in the multilayer electronic component 100 can be reduced.

[0116] According to the above example embodiment, by changing the thickness of the inner electrodes set at different heights to adjust the resistance and parasitic inductance, the imbalance of current density caused by the deviation of the electrical path between the inner electrodes can be reduced.

[0117] While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multilayer electronic component, comprising: The main body includes a stacked dielectric layer and a plurality of internal electrodes, wherein the dielectric layer is located between the plurality of internal electrodes; as well as External electrodes are disposed on the main body and connected to the plurality of internal electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes includes two or more inner electrodes with different thicknesses. The inner electrode with the largest thickness and the inner electrode with the smallest thickness are respectively disposed on the first outermost and the second outermost. The first outermost and the second outermost are opposite to each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes. The thickness of each inner electrode disposed between the inner electrode with the largest thickness and the inner electrode with the smallest thickness is equal to or greater than the thickness of the adjacent inner electrode adjacent to the inner electrode in the stacking direction toward the second outermost.

2. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein, The main body includes: a capacitor forming part, in which the plurality of inner electrodes are disposed; and an upper cover part and a lower cover part, respectively disposed at both ends of the capacitor forming part in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

3. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein, Among the plurality of inner electrodes, when the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the first outermost side is defined as t1 and the thickness of the inner electrode disposed on the second outermost side is defined as t2, t1 and t2 satisfy t1≤2×t2.

4. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 2, in, The capacitor forming portion includes a first region and a second region, the first region including a first outermost region, and the second region including a second outermost region. In the first region, a first inner electrode group is provided, and a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the first outermost side are stacked in the first inner electrode group. In the second region, a second inner electrode group is provided, and a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the second outermost side are stacked in the second inner electrode group.

5. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein, The first region and the second region have the same length in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

6. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein, The number of internal electrodes included in the first internal electrode group is the same as the number of internal electrodes included in the second internal electrode group.

7. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 2, in, The capacitor forming section includes three or more regions, and internal electrodes of different thicknesses are respectively disposed in the three or more regions. In each of the three or more regions, the inner electrode, including the corresponding region of the capacitor forming portion, has the same thickness.

8. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 7, wherein, The number of internal electrodes in each of the three or more regions included in the capacitor forming portion is the same.

9. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein, The spacing between the plurality of internal electrodes in the stacking direction is constant.

10. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the plurality of inner electrodes is configured to gradually decrease from the first outermost to the second outermost.

11. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, in, The external electrode includes a first external electrode and a second external electrode, which are respectively disposed on two end surfaces of the main body in a first direction different from the lamination direction. The plurality of internal electrodes include a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode, which are respectively connected to the first external electrode and the second external electrode.

12. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 11, wherein, The first outer electrode and the second inner electrode are configured to be spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and the spacing between the first outer electrode and the second inner electrode is the same as the spacing between the second outer electrode and the first inner electrode.

13. A multilayer electronic component, comprising: The main body includes stacked dielectric layers and multiple internal electrodes, wherein the dielectric layers are located between the multiple internal electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes includes a maximum thickness inner electrode with the largest thickness disposed on the first outermost side and a minimum thickness inner electrode with the smallest thickness disposed on the second outermost side. The first outermost side and the second outermost side are opposite to each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes, and the plurality of inner electrodes are configured such that the thickness of each of the plurality of inner electrodes gradually decreases from the first outermost side to the second outermost side.

14. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 13, wherein, The main body includes: a capacitor forming part, in which the plurality of inner electrodes are disposed; and an upper cover part and a lower cover part, respectively disposed at both ends of the capacitor forming part in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

15. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 13, wherein, The thickness value t1 of the inner electrode with the maximum thickness and the thickness value t2 of the inner electrode with the minimum thickness satisfy t1≤2×t2.

16. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 14, in, The capacitor forming portion includes a first region and a second region, the first region including a first outermost region, and the second region including a second outermost region. In the first region, a first inner electrode group is provided, and a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the first outermost side are stacked in the first inner electrode group. In the second region, a second inner electrode group is provided, and a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the second outermost side are stacked in the second inner electrode group.

17. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 16, wherein, The first region and the second region have the same length in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

18. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 16, wherein, The number of internal electrodes included in the first internal electrode group is the same as the number of internal electrodes included in the second internal electrode group.

19. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 14, in, The capacitor forming section includes three or more regions, and internal electrodes of different thicknesses are respectively disposed in the three or more regions. In each of the three or more regions, the thickness of the inner electrode in the corresponding region of the capacitor forming portion is the same and different from the thickness of the inner electrode in the remaining regions of the three or more regions.

20. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 19, wherein, The number of internal electrodes in each of the three or more regions included in the capacitor forming portion is the same.

21. A multilayer electronic component, comprising: The main body includes stacked dielectric layers and multiple internal electrodes, wherein the dielectric layers are located between the multiple internal electrodes. The plurality of inner electrodes includes a maximum thickness inner electrode with the largest thickness disposed on the outermost bottom and a minimum thickness inner electrode with the smallest thickness disposed on the outermost top. The outermost top and the outermost bottom are opposite to each other in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes, and the plurality of inner electrodes are configured such that the thickness of each of the plurality of inner electrodes gradually increases from the outermost top to the outermost bottom.

22. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 21, wherein, The main body includes: a capacitor forming part, in which the plurality of inner electrodes are disposed; and an upper cover part and a lower cover part, respectively disposed at both ends of the capacitor forming part in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

23. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 21, wherein, The thickness value t1 of the inner electrode with the maximum thickness and the thickness value t2 of the inner electrode with the minimum thickness satisfy t1≤2×t2.

24. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 22, in, The capacitor forming portion includes a first region and a second region, the first region including the outermost bottom region and the second region including the outermost top region. In the first region, a first inner electrode group is provided, and a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the outermost side of the bottom are stacked in the first inner electrode group. In the second region, a second inner electrode group is provided, in which a plurality of inner electrodes having the same thickness as the inner electrode provided on the outermost part of the top are stacked.

25. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 24, wherein, The first region and the second region have the same length in the stacking direction of the plurality of inner electrodes.

26. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 24, wherein, The number of internal electrodes included in the first internal electrode group is the same as the number of internal electrodes included in the second internal electrode group.

27. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 22, in, The capacitor forming section includes three or more regions, and internal electrodes of different thicknesses are respectively disposed in the three or more regions. In each of the three or more regions, the thickness of the inner electrode in the corresponding region of the capacitor forming portion is the same and different from the thickness of the inner electrode in the remaining regions of the three or more regions.

28. The multilayer electronic assembly according to claim 27, wherein, The number of internal electrodes in each of the three or more regions included in the capacitor forming portion is the same.

Images