Multilayer ceramic capacitor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a multilayer ceramic capacitor. The multilayer ceramic capacitor may include a ceramic body, comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a first direction, a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other in a second direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface, and a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to each other in a third direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface; a plurality of first internal electrodes and a plurality of second internal electrodes disposed inside the ceramic body, the plurality of first internal electrodes extending to the first surface, and the plurality of second internal electrodes extending to the second surface; and a first external electrode disposed outside the ceramic body, in which the first external electrode may include a first metal layer disposed on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the plurality of first internal electrodes on the first surface, and a first plating layer disposed on the first metal layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a multilayer ceramic capacitor. Background Art

[0002] Electronic components using ceramic materials include capacitors, inductors, piezoelectric elements, varistors, or thermistors. Among these ceramic electronic components, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are used in various electronic devices due to their small size, high capacitance, and ease of mounting.

[0003] For example, a multilayer ceramic capacitor may be a sheet-form capacitor mounted on a substrate of various electronic products such as imaging devices (such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma display panels, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), computers, personal portable terminals, and smart phones) for charging or discharging the same.

[0004] The multilayer ceramic capacitor may include an inner electrode disposed inside a ceramic body and an outer electrode disposed outside the ceramic body and connected to the inner electrode. The outer electrode may be formed by dipping the ceramic body in a paste for forming the outer electrode and sintering it. In this case, the thickness of the outer electrode is several tens of micrometers, which is relatively thick, and there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the volume occupied by the outer electrode. Summary of the invention

[0005] An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a multilayer ceramic capacitor including external electrodes having a reduced volume.

[0006] However, the objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned objects and can be expanded in various ways within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0007] A multilayer ceramic capacitor may include: a ceramic body including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a first direction, a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other in a second direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface, and a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to each other in a third direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface; a plurality of first inner electrodes and a plurality of second inner electrodes arranged inside the ceramic body, the plurality of first inner electrodes extending to the first surface, and the plurality of second inner electrodes extending to the second surface; a first outer electrode arranged outside the ceramic body; and a second outer electrode arranged outside the ceramic body, wherein the first outer electrode may include a first metal layer and a first plating layer, the first metal layer being arranged on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body and being electrically connected to the plurality of first inner electrodes on the first surface, the first plating layer being arranged on the first metal layer, and wherein the second outer electrode may include a second metal layer and a second plating layer, the second metal layer being arranged on the second surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body and being electrically connected to the plurality of second inner electrodes on the second surface, and the second plating layer being arranged on the second metal layer.

[0008] The multilayer ceramic capacitor may further include an insulating layer covering a portion of the first external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body and a portion of the second external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

[0009] The insulating layer may expose a portion of an outer surface of the first external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and cover the rest of the first external electrode, and the insulating layer may expose a portion of an outer surface of the second external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and cover the rest of the second external electrode.

[0010] The portion of the outer surface of the first external electrode exposed through the insulating layer may have a rectangular shape including four edges surrounded by the insulating layer.

[0011] The portion of the outer surface of the second outer electrode exposed through the insulating layer may have a rectangular shape including four edges surrounded by the insulating layer.

[0012] The insulating layer may cover the sixth surface of the ceramic body between the first and second external electrodes.

[0013] The insulating layer may cover the first external electrode on the first surface of the ceramic body, and may cover the second external electrode on the second surface of the ceramic body.

[0014] The first plating layer may include: a first layer covering the first metal layer; a second layer covering the first layer; and a third layer covering the second layer.

[0015] The first layer may include copper (Cu), the second layer may include nickel (Ni), and the third layer may include tin (Sn).

[0016] The second plating layer may include: a first layer covering the second metal layer; a second layer covering the first layer; and a third layer covering the second layer.

[0017] The first layer may include copper (Cu), the second layer may include nickel (Ni), and the third layer may include tin (Sn).

[0018] Each of the first metal layer and the second metal layer may include: a layer including nickel (Ni); a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including copper (Cu); or a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including chromium (Cr).

[0019] Each of the first plating layer and the second plating layer may include: a first layer including nickel (Ni) and a second layer including tin (Sn); a first layer including tin (Sn), a second layer including nickel (Ni), and a third layer including tin (Sn); or a first layer including nickel (Ni), a second layer including copper (Cu), and a third layer including tin (Sn).

[0020] The thickness of the first internal electrode may be greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm, and the thickness of the second internal electrode may be greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm.

[0021] The first metal layer may be disposed only on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

[0022] The multilayer ceramic capacitor may further include an insulating layer covering a portion of the first external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body and a portion of the second external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

[0023] The insulating layer may expose a portion of an outer surface of the first external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and may cover the rest of the first external electrode, and the insulating layer may expose a portion of an outer surface of the second external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and may cover the rest of the second external electrode.

[0024] The first plating layer may be provided only on the first metal layer on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

[0025] According to the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to one embodiment, a portion contributing to capacitance can be enlarged by reducing the volume of the external electrodes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken along line II-II'.

[0028] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the stacking structure of a multilayer ceramic capacitor.

[0029] Figure 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to another embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5 is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken along line V-V'. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. The drawings and description are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in nature. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals represent the same elements. In addition, some constituent elements are enlarged, omitted or briefly shown in the added drawings, and the sizes of the corresponding constituent elements do not reflect the actual sizes.

[0032] The accompanying drawings are provided only to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification and should not be interpreted as limiting the spirit disclosed in this specification. It should be understood that the present disclosure includes all modifications, equivalents, and replacements without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0033] Terms including ordinal numbers such as "first", "second", etc. will only be used to describe various constituent elements and should not be construed as limiting these constituent elements. These terms are only used to distinguish one constituent element from other constituent elements.

[0034] It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, area or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "over" another element, it may be directly on the other element, or there may be intervening elements. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, there are no intervening elements. In addition, in the specification, the words "on..." or "above..." mean being disposed on or below a target portion, and do not necessarily mean being disposed on the upper side of the target portion based on the direction of gravity.

[0035] Throughout the specification, it should be understood that the terms "include", "comprises", "has" or "configuration" indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude the possibility of pre-existing or adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, components or combinations thereof. Unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word "include" and variations such as "includes" or "has" will be understood to imply the inclusion of the elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

[0036] Furthermore, throughout the specification, the phrase “in a plan view” or “on a plane” means observing a target portion from the top, and the phrase “in a cross-sectional view” or “on a cross section” means observing a cross section formed by vertically cutting the target portion from the side.

[0037] Furthermore, throughout the specification, “connected” means not only that two or more elements are directly connected, but also that two or more elements are indirectly connected through other elements, or that two or more elements are physically or electrically connected, and further, “connected” may also include the case where substantially integral parts are connected to each other, although they may be referred to by different names according to position or function.

[0038] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken along line II-II'. Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the stacking structure of a multilayer ceramic capacitor.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 according to the present embodiment includes a ceramic body 110 , a first external electrode 120 , a second external electrode 130 , a plurality of first internal electrodes 150 , and a plurality of second internal electrodes 160 .

[0040] First, directions are defined to clearly describe the present embodiment, and the L axis, W axis, and T axis shown in the drawings refer to axes indicating the length direction, the width direction, and the thickness direction of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000, respectively.

[0041] The thickness direction (T-axis direction) may be a direction perpendicular to the wide surface (main surface) of the sheet member. For example, the thickness direction (T-axis direction) may be used as the same concept as the direction in which the dielectric layer 140 is stacked.

[0042] The length direction (L-axis direction) is a direction parallel to the wide surface (main surface) of the sheet component, and may be a direction intersecting (or orthogonal or perpendicular) to the thickness direction (T-axis direction). For example, the length direction (L-axis direction) may be a direction in which the first external electrode 120 and the second external electrode 130 are opposite to each other.

[0043] The width direction (W axis direction) is a direction parallel to the wide surface (main surface) of the sheet component and may be a direction intersecting (or orthogonal or perpendicular) with both the thickness direction (T axis direction) and the length direction (L axis direction).

[0044] The ceramic body 110 may have a substantially hexahedral shape, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. Due to shrinkage during sintering, the ceramic body 110 may have a substantially hexahedral shape although it does not have a perfect hexahedral shape. For example, the ceramic body 110 may have a substantially hexahedral shape, but the corners or apex portions may have a rounded shape.

[0045] In this embodiment, for the convenience of description, surfaces opposite to each other in the length direction (L-axis direction) are defined as a first surface S1 and a second surface S2, surfaces opposite to each other in the width direction (W-axis direction) and connecting the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 are defined as a third surface S3 and a fourth surface S4, and surfaces opposite to each other in the thickness direction (T-axis direction) and connecting the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 are defined as a fifth surface S5 and a sixth surface S6.

[0046] Therefore, the first direction, which is the direction in which the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 are relative to each other, can be the length direction (L-axis direction), and the second direction and the third direction, which are perpendicular to the first direction and perpendicular to each other, can be the thickness direction (T-axis direction) and the width direction (W-axis direction), respectively, or the width direction (W-axis direction) and the thickness direction (T-axis direction), respectively.

[0047] Based on an optical microscope or scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph of a cross section taken along the length direction (L axis direction)-thickness direction (T axis direction) at the center of the ceramic body 110 in the width direction (W axis direction), the length of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the maximum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the length direction (L axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the length direction (L axis direction). In addition, the length of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the minimum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the length direction (L axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the length direction (L axis direction). Alternatively, the length of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the arithmetic mean of the lengths of at least two of the plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the length direction (L axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the length direction (L axis direction).

[0048] Based on an optical microscope or scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph of a cross section taken along the length direction (L axis direction)-thickness direction (T axis direction) at the center of the ceramic body 110 in the width direction (W axis direction), the thickness of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the maximum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the thickness direction (T axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction). In addition, the thickness of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the minimum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the thickness direction (T axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction). In addition, the thickness of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the arithmetic mean of the lengths of at least two of the plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the thickness direction (T axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction).

[0049] Based on an optical microscope or scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph of a cross section taken along the length direction (L axis direction)-width direction (W axis direction) at the center of the ceramic body 110 in the thickness direction (T axis direction), the width of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the maximum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the width direction (W axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the width direction (W axis direction). In addition, the width of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the minimum value of the lengths of a plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the width direction (W axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the width direction (W axis direction). On the other hand, the width of the ceramic body 110 may refer to: the arithmetic mean of the lengths of at least two of the plurality of line segments respectively connecting the two outermost boundary lines opposite to each other in the width direction (W axis direction) of the ceramic body 110 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph and parallel to the width direction (W axis direction).

[0050] The ceramic body 110 may include a plurality of dielectric layers 140 stacked in a thickness direction (T-axis direction). The boundaries between the dielectric layers 140 may be unclear. For example, it may be difficult to confirm the boundaries between the dielectric layers 140 without using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the plurality of dielectric layers 140 may appear to be an integrated structure.

[0051] The first internal electrodes 150 and the second internal electrodes 160 may be alternately stacked via the dielectric layer 140. The stacking structure may be repeated within the ceramic body 110, and the internal electrode closest to the fifth surface S5 of the ceramic body 110 may be the first internal electrode 150 or the second internal electrode 160, and the internal electrode closest to the sixth surface S6 may be the first internal electrode 150 or the second internal electrode 160.

[0052] The first and second internal electrodes 150 and 160 have different polarities and may be electrically insulated from each other by the dielectric layer 140 disposed therebetween.

[0053] The first inner electrode 150 and the second inner electrode 160 may be disposed to be offset from each other in the length direction (L-axis direction) via the dielectric layer 140. An end of the first inner electrode 150 may be exposed from the first surface S1 of the ceramic body 110, and an end of the second inner electrode 160 may be exposed from the second surface S2 of the ceramic body 110. The end of the first inner electrode 150 exposed from the first surface S1 of the ceramic body 110 may be connected to the first outer electrode 120. The end of the second inner electrode 160 exposed from the second surface S2 of the ceramic body 110 may be connected to the second outer electrode 130.

[0054] The first and second internal electrodes 150 and 160 may be formed by using a thin film deposition method such as sputtering, vacuum deposition, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). By using the thin film deposition method, thin and uniform internal electrodes may be formed.

[0055] If the size of the ceramic body is constant, the thinner the thickness of the inner electrode, the more dielectric layers can be stacked, thereby increasing the capacity of the multilayer ceramic capacitor. In addition, the thickness of the inner electrode can be reduced to increase the thickness of the dielectric layer, so the breakdown voltage and high temperature reliability can be improved by increasing the thickness of the dielectric layer.

[0056] For example, the thickness of the first internal electrode 150 and the second internal electrode 160 formed by the thin film deposition method may be greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm, respectively. If the thickness of the internal electrode is less than 100 nm, the resistance increases as the thickness decreases, which may increase the equivalent series resistance (ESR), and if the thickness of the internal electrode exceeds 300 nm, there is a relative limit to the increase in the thickness of the dielectric layer, and thus the effect of improving reliability may be reduced.

[0057] Here, the thickness of the inner electrode may mean the average thickness of one inner electrode disposed between two dielectric layers. Based on a scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph with a magnification of 10,000 of a cross section taken along the length direction (L axis direction)-thickness direction (T axis direction) at the central portion of the ceramic body 110 in the width direction (W axis direction), the average thickness of the inner electrode may be: the arithmetic mean of the thickness of one inner electrode shown in the above cross-sectional photograph measured at 30 evenly spaced points in the length direction (L axis direction). The above 30 points may be specified in the effective area described later. By measuring the average thickness of each of the 10 inner electrodes in this way and then deriving the arithmetic mean of the measured values, the average thickness of the inner electrode may be more generalized. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art may be used.

[0058] In addition, the internal electrode may be formed by printing a conductive paste containing a conductive metal on the surface of the dielectric layer 140. For example, the internal electrode may be formed by printing a conductive paste containing nickel (Ni) or a nickel (Ni) alloy on the surface of the dielectric layer by screen printing or gravure printing. However, in this case, unlike the case where the internal electrode is formed using the above-mentioned thin film deposition method, there is a problem that it is difficult to form an internal electrode with a thin and uniform thickness.

[0059] When a voltage is applied to the first external electrode 120 and the second external electrode 130, charges are accumulated between the first internal electrode 150 and the second internal electrode 160 facing each other. That is, capacitance may be obtained between the first internal electrode 150 electrically connected to the first external electrode 120 and the second internal electrode 160 electrically connected to the second external electrode 130. The capacitance of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 is proportional to the overlapping area of ​​the first internal electrode 150 and the second internal electrode 160 overlapping each other in the thickness direction (T-axis direction).

[0060] In other words, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 may include an active region and an edge region. The active region may refer to a region where the first internal electrode 150 and the second internal electrode 160 overlap along the thickness direction (T-axis direction), and the edge region may refer to a region between the first surface S1 of the ceramic body 110 and the active region and a region between the second surface S2 of the ceramic body 110 and the active region.

[0061] The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 is classified based on its length and width. Therefore, even in a multilayer ceramic capacitor having the same length or width, the size of the ceramic body may vary according to the thickness of the external electrode. That is, a multilayer ceramic capacitor having a thinner external electrode may have a larger ceramic body than a multilayer ceramic capacitor having a thicker external electrode. A larger ceramic body may mean a larger effective area, which in turn may mean a larger capacitance. As a result, as the external electrodes of the multilayer ceramic capacitor become thinner, the capacitance may increase. In the present embodiment, by using a metal layer as a seed layer for plating growth when forming the external electrodes of the multilayer ceramic capacitor, the thickness of the external electrode may be reduced and a beneficial effect may be obtained accordingly. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0062] The first cover layer 143 and the second cover layer 145 may be disposed outside the active region in the thickness direction (T-axis direction).

[0063] The first cover layer 143 is disposed between the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110 and the inner electrode closest to the sixth surface S6. The second cover layer 145 is disposed between the fifth surface S5 of the ceramic body 110 and the inner electrode closest to the fifth surface S5.

[0064] That is, in the ceramic body 110, the first cover layer 143 may be disposed above the uppermost inner electrode, and the second cover layer 145 may be disposed below the lowermost inner electrode. The first cover layer 143 and the second cover layer 145 may have the same composition as the dielectric layer 140. The first cover layer 143 and the second cover layer 145 may be formed by stacking one or more dielectric layers on each of the outer surface of the uppermost inner electrode and the outer surface of the lowermost inner electrode.

[0065] The first covering layer 143 and the second covering layer 145 can be used to prevent damage to the first inner electrode 150 and the second inner electrode 160 due to physical stress or chemical stress.

[0066] The dielectric layer 140 may include a ceramic material having a high dielectric constant. For example, the ceramic material may include a dielectric material ceramic containing components such as BaTiO3, CaTiO3, SrTiO3, or CaZrO3. In addition, sub-components such as manganese (Mn) compounds, iron (Fe) compounds, chromium (Cr) compounds, cobalt (Co) compounds, and nickel (Ni) compounds may be further added to these components. For example, the dielectric layer may include (Ba 1- x Ca x )TiO3 (0 < x < 1), Ba(Ti 1-y Ca y )O3 (0 < y < 1), (Ba 1-x Ca x )(Ti 1-y Zr y )O3 (0 < x < 1, 0 < y < 1), or Ba(Ti 1- y Zr y )O3 (0 < y < 1), etc. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0067] In addition, at least one of a ceramic additive, an organic solvent, a plasticizer, an adhesive, and a dispersant may also be included in the dielectric layer 140. The ceramic additive may be, for example, a transition metal oxide or a transition metal carbide, a rare earth element, magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), etc.

[0068] For example, the average thickness of the dielectric layer 140 may be 0.1 μm to 10 μm, but this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0069] The first outer electrode 120 and the second outer electrode 130 are provided on the outside of the ceramic body 110.

[0070] The first outer electrode 120 may be provided on the first surface S1 and the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110. The second outer electrode 130 may be provided on the second surface S2 and the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110.

[0071] The first outer electrode 120 includes a first end portion 121, a first belt portion 123, and a first edge portion 125.

[0072] The first end portion 121 covers the first surface S1 of the ceramic body 110 and is a portion electrically connected to the exposed end portions of the plurality of first inner electrodes 150.

[0073] The first band portion 123 extends from the first end portion 121 and covers a portion of the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110. The first band portion 123 may allow the first external electrode 120 to adhere to the ceramic body 110 more firmly.

[0074] The first edge portion 125 may be a portion connecting the first end portion 121 and the first belt portion 123 .

[0075] The second external electrode 130 includes a second end portion 131 , a second band portion 133 , and a second edge portion 135 .

[0076] The second end portion 131 covers the second surface S2 of the ceramic body 110 , and is a portion electrically connected to exposed ends of the plurality of second internal electrodes 160 .

[0077] The second band portion 133 extends from the second end portion 131 and covers a portion of the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110. The second band portion 133 may allow the second external electrode 130 to adhere to the ceramic body 110 more firmly.

[0078] The second edge portion 135 may be a portion connecting the second end portion 131 and the second belt portion 133 .

[0079] Based on an optical microscope or scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a cross section taken along the length direction (L axis direction)-thickness direction (T axis direction) at the center portion of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 in the width direction (W axis direction), in the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 shown in the above cross-sectional photograph, the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 131 may have a shape substantially parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction), the first band portion 123 and the second band portion 133 may have a shape substantially parallel to the length direction (L axis direction), and the first edge portion 125 and the second edge portion 135 may have a curved shape. The above curved shape may be a curved shape having a tangent line whose direction changes from a direction parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction) to a direction parallel to the length direction (L axis direction) (or from a direction parallel to the length direction (L axis direction) to a direction parallel to the thickness direction (T axis direction)).

[0080] The first external electrode 120 may include a first metal layer 171 and a first plating layer 180 , and the second external electrode 130 may include a second metal layer 173 and a second plating layer 190 .

[0081] The first external electrode 120 may include a first metal layer 171 and a first plating layer 180 on the first metal layer 171 .

[0082] The first metal layer 171 directly contacts the ceramic body 110. For example, the first metal layer 171 may cover at least a portion of the first surface S1 and the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110.

[0083] The first metal layer 171 may include a conductive metal. The conductive metal may include nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), etc. alone or an alloy thereof, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the first metal layer 171 may include: a layer including nickel (Ni); a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including copper (Cu); or a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including chromium (Cr).

[0084] There is no particular limitation on the method of forming the first metal layer 171. For example, the first metal layer 171 may be formed as a thin film by sputtering, electron beam evaporation, atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like.

[0085] The second external electrode 130 may include a second metal layer 173 and a second plating layer 190 on the second metal layer 173 .

[0086] The second metal layer 173 directly contacts the ceramic body 110. The second metal layer 173 may cover at least a portion of the second surface S2 and the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110.

[0087] The second metal layer 173 may include a conductive metal. The conductive metal may include nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), etc. alone or an alloy thereof, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the second metal layer 173 may include: a layer including nickel (Ni); a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including copper (Cu); or a layer including titanium (Ti) and a layer including chromium (Cr).

[0088] The method of forming the second metal layer 173 is not particularly limited. For example, the second metal layer 173 may be formed as a thin film by sputtering, electron beam evaporation, atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like.

[0089] The first plating layer 180 is disposed on the first metal layer 171, and the second plating layer 190 is disposed on the second metal layer 173. That is, the first plating layer 180 may cover the first metal layer 171, and the second plating layer 190 may cover the second metal layer 173.

[0090] The first plating layer 180 may be formed by directly plating a conductive metal on the first metal layer 171. That is, the first metal layer 171 may be used as a seed layer for plating. In addition, the second plating layer 190 may be formed by directly plating a conductive metal on the second metal layer 173. That is, the second metal layer 173 may be used as a seed layer for plating. Here, the conductive metal may include nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), tin (Sn), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), lead (Pb), etc., or alloys thereof, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0091] The first plating layer 180 and the second plating layer 190 may each include a plurality of layers. For example, the first plating layer 180 may include a first layer 181 covering the first metal layer 171, a second layer 183 covering the first layer 181, and a third layer 185 covering the second layer 183. The first layer 181 may include copper (Cu), the second layer 183 may include nickel (Ni), and the third layer 185 may include tin (Sn), but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0092] In addition, the second plating layer 190 may include a first layer 191 covering the second metal layer 173, a second layer 193 covering the first layer 191, and a third layer 195 covering the second layer 193. The first layer 191 may include copper (Cu), the second layer 193 may include nickel (Ni), and the third layer 195 may include tin (Sn), but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0093] As another example, the first plating layer 180 may include: a first layer including nickel (Ni) and a second layer including tin (Sn); a first layer including tin (Sn), a second layer including nickel (Ni), and a third layer including tin (Sn); or a first layer including nickel (Ni), a second layer including copper (Cu), and a third layer including tin (Sn). As another example, the second plating layer 190 may include: a first layer including nickel (Ni) and a second layer including tin (Sn); a first layer including tin (Sn), a second layer including nickel (Ni), and a third layer including tin (Sn); or a first layer including nickel (Ni), a second layer including copper (Cu), and a third layer including tin (Sn).

[0094] As in the present embodiment, when a plating layer is formed using a metal layer as a seed layer for plating growth, an external electrode having a small thickness can be formed. In this case, the volume occupied by the external electrode is relatively reduced, so the portion contributing to the formation of capacitance can become relatively large. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the performance of the multilayer ceramic capacitor can be improved.

[0095] Unlike the present embodiment, if the external electrode is formed by immersing the ceramic body in a paste for forming the external electrode and sintering it, the thickness of the external electrode becomes relatively thick, and thus the size of the portion contributing to forming the capacitance is reduced, so that the performance of the multilayer ceramic capacitor may be deteriorated.

[0096] Figure 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to another embodiment. Figure 5 is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken along line V-V'.

[0097] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The multilayer ceramic capacitor 2000 includes a ceramic body 110, a first external electrode 120, a second external electrode 130, a plurality of first internal electrodes 150, a plurality of second internal electrodes 160, and an insulating layer 200. Except that the multilayer ceramic capacitor 2000 includes the insulating layer 200, the remaining components are the same as those of the Figure 1 Components of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1000 are the same or correspond, and thus a redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0098] The insulating layer 200 covers a portion of the first external electrode 120 , a portion of the second external electrode 130 , and a portion of the ceramic body 110 .

[0099] The insulating layer 200 may include a thermoplastic resin (such as polystyrene, vinyl acetate, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, rubber, propylene, etc.), a thermosetting resin (such as phenol, epoxy, urethane, melamine, alkyd, etc.), a photosensitive resin, polyparaxylene, SiO x or SiN x .

[0100] The insulating layer 200 may be formed by applying a liquid insulating resin to the surface of the ceramic body 110, by laminating an insulating film such as a dry film on the surface of the ceramic body 110, or by a thin film process such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) or vapor deposition. The insulating film may be an Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF) not including a photosensitive insulating resin, a polyimide film, or the like.

[0101] The insulating layer 200 may completely cover the first external electrode 120 on the first surface S1 , the third surface S3 , and the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110 , and may expose a portion of the first external electrode 120 on the sixth surface S6 .

[0102] The insulating layer 200 may expose only a portion of an outer surface of the first external electrode 120 opposite to the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110 , and may completely cover the rest of the first external electrode 120 .

[0103] In the first band portion 123 of the first external electrode 120, a portion of the first plating layer 180 may be exposed through the insulating layer 200 and include a first exposed surface 127. That is, the first exposed surface 127 may be a portion of the outer surface of the first plating layer 180 of the first external electrode 120. The first exposed surface 127 may be in a rectangular shape with four edges surrounded by the insulating layer 200.

[0104] The first exposed surface 127 may be formed, for example, in the following manner. A photoresist pattern corresponding to the shape of the first exposed surface 127 is formed on the first external electrode 120. Next, the insulating layer 200 is deposited to completely cover the first external electrode 120 and the photoresist pattern. Next, a portion of the insulating layer 200 and the photoresist pattern are removed so that the first exposed surface 127 is exposed. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0105] In addition, the insulating layer 200 may completely cover the second external electrode 130 on the second surface S2 , the third surface S3 , and the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110 , and may expose a portion of the second external electrode 130 on the sixth surface S6 .

[0106] The insulating layer 200 may expose only a portion of an outer surface of the second external electrode 130 opposite to the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110 , and may completely cover the rest of the second external electrode 130 .

[0107] In the second band portion 133 of the second external electrode 130, a portion of the second plating layer 190 may be exposed through the insulating layer 200 and include a second exposed surface 137. That is, the second exposed surface 137 may be a portion of the outer surface of the second plating layer 190 of the second external electrode 130. The second exposed surface 137 may be in a rectangular shape with four edges surrounded by the insulating layer 200.

[0108] The second exposed surface 137 may be formed, for example, in the following manner. A photoresist pattern corresponding to the shape of the second exposed surface 137 is formed on the second external electrode 130. Next, the insulating layer 200 is deposited to completely cover the second external electrode 130 and the photoresist pattern. Next, a portion of the insulating layer 200 and the photoresist pattern are removed so that the second exposed surface 137 is exposed. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0109] When the multilayer ceramic capacitor 2000 is mounted on a substrate, the first exposed surface 127 of the first external electrode 120 and the second exposed surface 137 of the second external electrode 130 may be connected to electrode pads of the substrate, respectively.

[0110] In addition, the insulating layer 200 covers the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110 between the first external electrode 120 and the second external electrode 130. That is, the insulating layer 200 may be disposed on the sixth surface S6 of the ceramic body 110 to cover a central portion of the sixth surface S6, and extend to both sides along the length direction (L-axis direction) to cover a portion of the first external electrode 120 and a portion of the second external electrode 130.

[0111] In addition, the insulating layer 200 may be further disposed on the third surface S3 and the fourth surface S4 of the ceramic body 110 .

[0112] In addition, the insulating layer may not be disposed on the fifth surface S5 of the ceramic body 110 .

[0113] As described above, the insulating layer 200 is disposed on at least a portion of the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth surfaces S1, S2, S3, S4, and S6 of the ceramic body 110 so that electrical short circuits between external electrodes of the multilayer ceramic capacitor and other electronic devices can be prevented.

[0114] While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be practical embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising: A ceramic body including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a first direction, a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other in a second direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface, and a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to each other in a third direction and connecting the first surface and the second surface; A plurality of first internal electrodes and a plurality of second internal electrodes are disposed inside the ceramic body, the plurality of first internal electrodes extend to the first surface, and the plurality of second internal electrodes extend to the second surface; A first external electrode is arranged outside the ceramic body; as well as A second external electrode is arranged outside the ceramic body, wherein the first external electrode comprises a first metal layer and a first plating layer, the first metal layer being disposed on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body and being electrically connected to the plurality of first internal electrodes on the first surface, the first plating layer being disposed on the first metal layer, and The second external electrode includes a second metal layer and a second plating layer, the second metal layer is arranged on the second surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body and is electrically connected to the plurality of second internal electrodes on the second surface, and the second plating layer is arranged on the second metal layer. 2 . The multilayer ceramic capacitor of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating layer covering a portion of the first external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body and a portion of the second external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

3. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 2, wherein: The insulating layer exposes a portion of an outer surface of the first external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and covers the rest of the first external electrode, and the insulating layer exposes a portion of an outer surface of the second external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and covers the rest of the second external electrode.

4. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 3, wherein: The portion of the outer surface of the first external electrode exposed through the insulating layer has a rectangular shape including four edges surrounded by the insulating layer.

5. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 4, wherein: The portion of the outer surface of the second outer electrode exposed through the insulating layer has a rectangular shape including four edges surrounded by the insulating layer.

6. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 3, wherein: The insulating layer covers the sixth surface of the ceramic body between the first external electrode and the second external electrode.

7. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 2, wherein: The insulating layer covers the first external electrode on the first surface of the ceramic body, and covers the second external electrode on the second surface of the ceramic body.

8. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein The first coating layer comprises: A first layer, covering the first metal layer; a second layer covering the first layer; and The third layer covers the second layer.

9. The multilayer ceramic capacitor of claim 8, wherein: The first layer comprises copper; The second layer comprises nickel; and The third layer includes tin.

10. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein The second coating layer comprises: a first layer, covering the second metal layer; a second layer covering the first layer; and The third layer covers the second layer.

11. The multilayer ceramic capacitor of claim 10, wherein: The first layer comprises copper; The second layer comprises nickel; and The third layer includes tin.

12. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein Each of the first metal layer and the second metal layer includes: a layer including nickel; a layer including titanium and a layer including copper; or a layer including titanium and a layer including chromium.

13. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein Each of the first plating layer and the second plating layer includes: a first layer including nickel and a second layer including tin; a first layer including tin, a second layer including nickel, and a third layer including tin; or a first layer including nickel, a second layer including copper, and a third layer including tin.

14. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein The thickness of the first internal electrode is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm, and the thickness of the second internal electrode is greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 300 nm.

15. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein The first metal layer is disposed only on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body. 16 . The multilayer ceramic capacitor of claim 15 , further comprising an insulating layer covering a portion of the first external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body and a portion of the second external electrode on the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

17. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 16, wherein: The insulating layer exposes a portion of an outer surface of the first external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and covers the rest of the first external electrode, and the insulating layer exposes a portion of an outer surface of the second external electrode opposite to the sixth surface of the ceramic body and covers the rest of the second external electrode.

18. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The first plating layer is disposed only on the first metal layer on the first surface and the sixth surface of the ceramic body.

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