Multilayer electronic component

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a multilayer electronic component. The multilayer electronic component may include: a body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately arranged in a first direction, with the dielectric layers interposed between the internal electrodes; and external electrodes disposed on surfaces of the body opposite to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the external electrodes may include an electrode layer connected to the internal electrodes and including Cu and a Cu-containing oxide, and in the electrode layer, the internal electrodes are electrically connected to the body. When a region provided on the center of the main body in the first direction is defined as a central portion, and a region provided on at least one side of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction is defined as a side portion, the side portion is provided on the side portion. A content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portion may be greater than a content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0194440, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 28, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a multi-layer electronic component. Background Art

[0003] A multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC), a type of multi-layer electronic component, is a chip capacitor that is mounted on a printed circuit board 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, on-vehicle chargers (OBCs) of electric vehicles, and DC-DC converters) and is used to charge or discharge therefrom.

[0004] Multi-layer ceramic capacitors can be used as components in various electronic devices due to their small size, high capacitance, and ease of installation. With the miniaturization of various electronic devices (such as computers and mobile devices) and the achievement of high output power, the demand for the miniaturization and high capacitance of multi-layer ceramic capacitors is also increasing.

[0005] In addition, when a multi-layer ceramic capacitor is used in an electric vehicle circuit, the demand for ensuring the maximum capacitance in an appropriate size while withstanding severe physical loads has increased.

[0006] The outer electrode of a multi-layer ceramic capacitor may have a conductive resin layer formed of a conductive metal and a resin, and / or may have a plating layer formed on the electrode layer with a conductive metal as a main component.

[0007] In order to reduce the proportion of the outer electrode in all components, the thickness of the electrode layer may be formed very thin. However, if the thickness of the electrode layer is formed very thin without changing the structure, problems such as easy penetration of the plating solution may occur during the plating layer formation process.

[0008] Therefore, an outer electrode structure is needed that can reduce the thickness and improve the sealing performance of a multi-layer electronic component even when the multi-layer electronic component, such as a multi-layer ceramic capacitor, is exposed to a harsh environment. Summary of the Invention

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure is to improve the capacitance per unit volume of a multi-layer electronic component.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to improve the sealing performance of a multi-layer electronic component.

[0011] However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above, and can be more easily understood during the process of describing specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] A multi-layer electronic component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a body including a dielectric layer and inner electrodes alternately arranged in a first direction, and the dielectric layer is interposed between the inner electrodes; and outer electrodes provided on surfaces of the body opposite to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the outer electrodes may include electrode layers connected to the inner electrodes and including Cu and Cu-containing oxides, and in the electrode layer, when a region provided at the center of the body in the first direction is defined as a central portion, and a region provided on at least one side of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction is defined as a side portion, the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portion may be larger than the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion.

[0013] One of the various effects of the present disclosure is to improve the capacitance per unit volume of the multi-layer electronic component by thinning the outer electrodes by controlling the shape of the outer electrodes.

[0014] One of the various effects of the present disclosure is to improve the sealing performance of the multi-layer electronic component by preventing external substances such as plating solutions from damaging the electrode layer.

[0015] One of the various effects of the present disclosure is to improve the capacitance per unit volume and the sealing performance of the multi-layer electronic component by preventing external substances such as plating solutions from damaging the electrode layer even when the outer electrodes are thinned.

[0016] The advantages and effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the foregoing, and can be more easily understood during the process of describing specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Description of the Drawings

[0017] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood through the following specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a multi-layer electronic component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is Figure 1 a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' in Figure 3 is Figure 2 an enlarged view of a region in Figure 4 is Figure 1 a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 5is an exploded perspective view showing a body according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a multi-layer electronic component according to another exemplary embodiment; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line III-III' in Figure 6 ; and Figure 8 is an image obtained by observing, with an optical microscope (OM), a region in which an electrode layer is formed in cross-sections in a first direction and a second direction after forming the electrode layer in a multi-layer electronic component according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can be illustrated in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the specific exemplary embodiments set forth herein. The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are provided to better explain the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Therefore, in the drawings, for clarity, the shapes and sizes of elements may be exaggerated, and the same reference numerals will always be used to denote the same elements.

[0019] In addition, to clearly describe the present disclosure in the drawings, content irrelevant to the description is omitted, and although the dimensions (e.g., thickness) of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for ease of description, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, the same reference numerals are used to describe components having the same functions within the same concept range. Throughout the specification, when a certain part is described as "including" or "comprising" a certain component, unless otherwise specified, this indicates that other components are not excluded and other components may be further included.

[0020] In the drawings, the first direction may be defined as the stacking direction or the thickness direction, the second direction may be defined as the length direction, and the third direction may be defined as the width direction.

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a multi-layer electronic component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line I-I' in Figure 1 .

[0023] Figure 3 is Figure 2 an enlarged view of a region in which a first external electrode is provided in

[0024] Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line II-II' in Figure 1 .

[0025] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a body according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 8 is an image obtained by observing, with an optical microscope (OM), a region in which an electrode layer is formed in cross-sections in a first direction and a second direction after forming the electrode layer in a multi-layer electronic component according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 8 to describe in detail a multi-layer electronic component 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the multi-layer electronic component 100 may include: a body 110 including a dielectric layer 111 and inner electrodes 121 and 122 alternately arranged in a first direction, and the dielectric layer 111 is interposed between the inner electrodes 121 and 122; and outer electrodes 130 and 140 respectively provided on surfaces of the body 110 that are opposite to each other in a second direction, wherein a direction perpendicular to the first direction is defined as the second direction, a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is defined as the third direction, and the outer electrodes 130 and 140 may include electrode layers 131 and 141 connected to the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and including Cu and Cu-containing oxides, and in the electrode layers 131 and 141, when a region provided at the center of the body 110 in the first direction is defined as a central portion, and a region provided on at least one side (e.g., both sides) of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction is defined as a side portion, the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portion may be greater than the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion.

[0029] The body 110 may have the dielectric layer 111 and the inner electrodes 121 and 122 stacked alternately with each other. Specifically, the inner electrodes 121 and 122 may be alternately arranged and the dielectric layer 111 is interposed between them.

[0030] The specific shape of the body 110 is not particularly limited, but as Figure 1 shown, the body 110 may have a hexahedral shape or a shape similar to a hexahedral shape. Due to the shrinkage of ceramic particles included in the body 110 during the sintering process, the body 110 may not have a hexahedral shape with completely straight lines, but may generally have a hexahedral shape.

[0031] The main body 110 may include a first surface 1 and a second surface 2 that face each other in a first direction, a third surface 3 and a fourth surface 4 that are connected to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 and face each other in a second direction, and a fifth surface 5 and a sixth surface 6 that are connected to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 and are connected to the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 and face each other in a third direction.

[0032] Since the edge regions of the dielectric layer 111 where the inner electrodes 121 and 122 are not provided overlap each other in the first direction, resulting in a step difference due to the thickness of the inner electrodes 121 and 122, therefore, the corners connecting the first surface 1 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 and / or the corners connecting the second surface 2 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 may have a shape that contracts centrally in the first direction based on the first surface 1 or the second surface 2 facing the main body 110. Optionally, due to the shrinkage behavior during the sintering process of the main body 110, the corners connecting the first surface 1 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 and / or the corners connecting the second surface 2 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 may have a shape that contracts centrally in the first direction based on the first surface 1 or the second surface 2 facing the main body 110. Optionally, in order to prevent chipping defects, each corner connecting the surfaces of the main body 110 may be rounded by performing a separate process, such that the corners connecting the first surface 1 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 and / or the corners connecting the second surface 2 to the third surface 3, the fourth surface 4, the fifth surface 5, and the sixth surface 6 may have a rounded shape.

[0033] In a state where the plurality of dielectric layers 111 forming the main body 110 are sintered, the adjacent dielectric layers 111 may be integrated with each other to such an extent that it is difficult to identify the boundary between them without using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The number of stacked dielectric layers is not particularly limited, and may be determined in consideration of the size of the multilayer electronic component. For example, 400 or more dielectric layers may be stacked to form the main body.

[0034] The dielectric layer 111 may be formed by the following method: producing a ceramic slurry containing ceramic particles, an organic solvent, and a binder, coating the ceramic slurry on a carrier film and drying it to prepare a green sheet, and then sintering the green sheet. The ceramic particles are not particularly limited as long as sufficient electrostatic capacitance can be obtained using them. For example, dielectric particles such as barium titanate (BaTiO3)-based particles or CaZrO3 paraelectric particles may be used as the ceramic particles. For a more specific example, the barium titanate (BaTiO3)-based particles may be BaTiO3, (Ba 1-x Ca x )TiO3 (0 < x < 1), Ba(Ti1-y Ca y )O3 (0 < y < 1), (Ba 1-x Ca x )(Ti 1-y Zr y )O3 (0 < x < 1, 0 < y < 1) and Ba(Ti 1-y Zr y )O3 (0 < y < 1), and the paraelectric CaZrO3 particles can be (Ca 1-x Sr x )(Zr 1-y Ti y )O3 (0 < x < 1, 0 < y < 1).

[0035] Therefore, the dielectric layer 111 may include BaTiO3, (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), Ba(Ti 1-y Zr y )O3 (0 < y < 1), and (Ca 1-x Sr x )(Zr 1-y Ti y )O3 (0 < x < 1, 0 < y < 1), one or more of them.

[0036] The average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 is not particularly limited.

[0037] To achieve miniaturization and high capacitance of the multilayer electronic component 100, the average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be less than or equal to 0.35 μm, and to improve the reliability of the multilayer electronic component 100 at high temperature and high voltage, the average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be greater than or equal to 3.0 μm.

[0038] The average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be obtained by the following method: scanning the images of the cross-sections of the main body 110 in the first direction and the second direction with a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

[0039] For example, the average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be obtained as follows: among the dielectric layers extracted from an image of a longitudinal and thickness-direction cross-section obtained by cutting the main body 110 in the central portion in the width direction and scanned by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), based on one dielectric layer located at the point where the center line in the longitudinal direction of the main body 110 intersects the center line in the thickness direction thereof, with respect to a total of five dielectric layers including this one dielectric layer, two dielectric layers located above this one dielectric layer, and two dielectric layers located below this one dielectric layer, with the point where the center line in the longitudinal direction of the main body 110 intersects the center line in the thickness direction thereof as a reference point, five points are set on this one dielectric layer (i.e., this reference point and two points located at equal intervals to the left of this reference point and two points located at equal intervals to the right of this reference point), and five points that are stacked with the above five points of this one dielectric layer in the thickness direction are respectively set on each of the other four dielectric layers, and then the thicknesses of the five dielectric layers at these points are measured and their average value is calculated.

[0040] The main body 110 may include a capacitance forming portion Ac, which is a region including a first inner electrode 121 and a second inner electrode 122 arranged to face each other and a dielectric layer 111 interposed between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122. Specifically, the capacitance forming portion Ac may refer to the region between the uppermost inner electrode arranged in the first direction among the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the lowermost inner electrode arranged in the first direction among the inner electrodes 121 and 122.

[0041] Since the capacitance forming portion Ac is a region where the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 are alternately arranged and the dielectric layer 111 is interposed between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122, the capacitance forming portion Ac can be used to form an electrostatic capacitance.

[0042] In addition, the capacitance forming portion Ac may include a region where the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 directly involved in capacitance formation are stacked on each other in the first direction, and longitudinal direction edge portions may be formed on one side and the other side in the second direction of the region where the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 are stacked on each other in the first direction. The longitudinal direction edge portions can function to impart different polarities to the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122, and can be used to increase the path of moisture penetration.

[0043] The main body 110 may include a capacitance forming portion Ac, and covering portions C1 and C2. The capacitance forming portion Ac forms a capacitance by including a first inner electrode 121 and a second inner electrode 122 disposed in the main body 110 and arranged opposite to each other, and a dielectric layer 111 interposed between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122. The covering portions C1 and C2 are formed on the upper and lower portions of the capacitance forming portion Ac in a first direction.

[0044] In addition, as Figure 5 shown, the main body 110 may be formed by additionally disposing the covering portions C1 and C2 on a stacked body in which the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 are alternately arranged in a first direction and the dielectric layer 111 is interposed between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122.

[0045] The inner electrodes 121 and 122 may include the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122. The first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 may be alternately arranged opposite to each other, and the dielectric layer 111 included in the main body 110 is interposed between the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122, and may be respectively exposed to a third surface 3 and a fourth surface 4 of the main body 110.

[0046] 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. The first outer electrode 130 may be disposed on the third surface 3 of the main body 110 and may be connected to the first inner electrode 121, and the second outer electrode 140 may be disposed on the fourth surface 4 of the main body 110 and may be connected to the second inner electrode 122.

[0047] That is, the first inner electrode 121 may be connected to the first outer electrode 130 without being connected to the second outer electrode 140, and the second inner electrode 122 may be connected to the second outer electrode 140 without being connected to the first outer electrode 130. Therefore, the first inner electrode 121 may be spaced apart from the fourth surface 4 by a predetermined distance, and the second inner electrode 122 may be spaced apart from the third surface 3 by a predetermined distance. In addition, the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 may be spaced apart from a fifth surface 5 and a sixth surface 6 of the main body 110 by a predetermined distance.

[0048] The conductive metal included in the inner electrodes 121 and 122 may be at least one of Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, Au, Pt, In, Sn, Al, Ti, and their alloys, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0049] The average thickness te of the inner electrodes 121 and 122 is not particularly limited and can vary according to the purpose. In order to miniaturize the multilayer electronic component 100, the average thickness te of the inner electrodes 121 and 122 can be less than or equal to 0.35 μm, and in order to improve the reliability of the multilayer electronic component 100 under high temperature and high voltage, the average thickness te of the inner electrodes 121 and 122 can be greater than or equal to 3.0 μm.

[0050] The average thickness te of the inner electrodes 121 and 122 can be obtained as follows: among the inner electrodes extracted from an image of a longitudinal and thickness-direction cross-section obtained by cutting the main body 110 in the central part in the width direction and scanned by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), based on one inner electrode located at the point where the center line in the longitudinal direction of the main body 110 intersects the center line in the thickness direction thereof, with respect to a total of five inner electrodes including this one inner electrode, two inner electrodes located above this one inner electrode, and two inner electrodes located below this one inner electrode, with the point where the center line in the longitudinal direction of the main body 110 intersects the center line in the thickness direction thereof as a reference point, five points are set on this one inner electrode (i.e., this reference point and two points located at equal intervals to the left of this reference point and two points located at equal intervals to the right of this reference point), and five points that are superimposed on the above five points of this one inner electrode in the thickness direction are respectively set on each of the other four inner electrodes, and then the thicknesses of the five inner electrodes at these points are measured and their average value is calculated.

[0051] The covering parts C1 and C2 can be respectively provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the capacitance forming part Ac in the first direction.

[0052] The covering parts C1 and C2 can mainly be used to prevent damage to the inner electrodes due to physical stress and / or chemical stress.

[0053] The covering parts C1 and C2 can include the same material as the dielectric layer 111. That is to say, the covering parts C1 and C2 can include a ceramic material. For example, they can include a barium titanate (BaTiO3)-based ceramic material.

[0054] In addition, the thicknesses of the covering parts C1 and C2 do not need to be particularly limited. For example, the thickness tc1 of the covering parts C1 and C2 can be less than or equal to 20 μm.

[0055] The thickness tc1 of the covering parts C1 and C2 can refer to the dimension of the covering parts C1 and C2 in the first direction, and can be the average value of the dimensions of the covering parts C1 and C2 in the first direction measured at five points that are spaced apart from each other at equal intervals in the second direction on the upper part or the lower part of the capacitance forming part Ac.

[0056] In addition, the edge portions M1 and M2 may be provided on the side surfaces of the capacitor forming portion Ac.

[0057] The edge portions M1 and M2 may include a first edge portion M1 provided on one side surface of the capacitor forming portion Ac in the third direction and a second edge portion M2 provided on the other side surface of the capacitor forming portion Ac in the third direction to form a fifth surface 5 and a sixth surface 6 of the main body 110, respectively. That is, the edge portions M1 and M2 may be provided on the two side surfaces of the capacitor forming portion Ac in the width direction to form the two side surfaces of the main body 110 in the width direction.

[0058] As Figure 4 shown, the edge portions M1 and M2 may refer to the regions between the two ends of the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122 in the width direction (the third direction) and the outer surfaces of the main body 110 in the width direction (the third direction) in a cross section obtained by cutting the main body 110 along the width direction - thickness direction.

[0059] The edge portions M1 and M2 may mainly be used to prevent damage to the inner electrodes due to physical stress and / or chemical stress.

[0060] The edge portions M1 and M2 may be formed by coating a conductive paste on a region of the green ceramic sheet other than the region where the edge portions are to be formed to form the inner electrodes.

[0061] In addition, the widths of the edge portions M1 and M2 do not need to be particularly limited. For example, the average widths of the edge portions M1 and M2 may be less than or equal to 20 μm.

[0062] The average widths of the edge portions M1 and M2 may refer to the average dimensions in the third direction of the regions where the inner electrodes are spaced apart from the fifth surface and the average dimensions in the third direction of the regions where the inner electrodes are spaced apart from the sixth surface, and may be the average values of the dimensions in the third direction of the edge portions M1 and M2 measured at five points spaced apart from each other at equal intervals on the side surfaces of the capacitor forming portion Ac.

[0063] The outer electrodes 130 and 140 may be provided on the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 (the surfaces of the main body 110 that are opposite to each other in the second direction), respectively.

[0064] The outer electrodes 130 and 140 may be provided on the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 of the main body 110 that are opposite to each other in the second direction, respectively, and may be connected to the first inner electrode 121 and the second inner electrode 122, respectively.

[0065] More specifically, the first external electrode 130 may be disposed on the third surface 3 and may be connected to the first internal electrode 121, and the second external electrode 140 may be disposed on the fourth surface 4 and may be connected to the second internal electrode 122.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, a structure in which the multilayer electronic component 100 has two external electrodes 130 and 140 has been described, but the number and shape of the external electrodes 130 and 140 may be changed according to the shape of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 or other purposes.

[0067] The size of the multilayer electronic component 100 need not be particularly limited.

[0068] For example, in order to simultaneously achieve miniaturization and high capacitance, the multilayer electronic component 100 may have a size of 0201 (length × width, 0.2 mm × 0.1 mm) or less, and in the case of a product where reliability in a high-temperature and high-voltage environment is decisive, the multilayer electronic component 100 may have a size of 3216 (length × width, 3.2 mm × 1.6 mm) or more, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0069] Here, the length of the multilayer electronic component 100 may refer to the maximum dimension of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the second direction, the thickness of the multilayer electronic component 100 may refer to the maximum dimension of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the first direction, and the width of the multilayer electronic component 100 may refer to the maximum dimension of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the third direction.

[0070] Hereinafter, the structures of the external electrodes 130 and 140 according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail.

[0071] The external electrodes 130 and 140 may include electrode layers 131 and 141 that are connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122 and include Cu and Cu-containing oxides.

[0072] Referring to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in the electrode layers 131 and 141, a region disposed at the center of the main body 110 in the first direction may be defined as a central portion, and regions disposed on both sides of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction may be defined as side portions. In this case, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portions may be greater than the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion.

[0073] In a conventional case of an electrode layer formed by coating a Cu paste on a body and sintering the Cu paste, a central region provided on the center of the body of the electrode layer may be formed thicker than other regions due to surface tension. Accordingly, as a result of increasing the proportion of the outer electrodes in the entire multilayer electronic component, it may be difficult to ensure sufficient capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component.

[0074] Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in electrode layers 131 and 141, side portions (regions having a convex shape in a second direction) may be formed on two first direction sides of a central portion provided at the center in a first direction of a body 110, such that the proportion of the outer electrodes 130 and 140 in the entire multilayer electronic component 100 may be effectively reduced, thereby improving the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100. Specifically, since the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 are regions adjacent to covering portions C1 and C2 or corners of the body 110, the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 may be vulnerable to external moisture penetration. However, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, since the side portions (regions vulnerable to external moisture penetration) are formed to have a convex shape, the thickness of the side portions may be formed to be thicker, and since the thickness of the central portion (a region relatively less vulnerable to external moisture penetration) may be reduced, the proportion of the outer electrodes 130 and 140 in the entire multilayer electronic component 100 may be effectively reduced while preventing a decrease in moisture-proof reliability.

[0075] In addition, the electrode layers 131 and 141 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include Cu and a Cu-containing oxide. The Cu may be used to ensure electrical connectivity together with the conductive metal included in the inner electrodes 121 and 122.

[0076] Since the electrode layer may include a glass component included in the Cu paste, the electrode layer formed by coating the Cu paste on the body and sintering the Cu paste may be easily dissolved by an external plating solution. Accordingly, the plating solution may easily penetrate into the electrode layer, which may cause deterioration of characteristics of the multilayer electronic component.

[0077] On the other hand, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, since the electrode layers 131 and 141 include Cu and a Cu-containing oxide, penetration of the plating solution into the electrode layers 131 and 141 or the inside of the body 110 may be effectively suppressed. That is, the sealing performance of the multilayer electronic component 100 may be improved.

[0078] On the other hand, since the side portions are regions adjacent to the covering portions C1 and C2 or the corners of the main body 110 as compared with the central portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141, there is a high possibility that defects exist in the microstructure due to sintering shrinkage. That is to say, the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 may be more easily affected by the penetration of the external plating solution than the central portions. Therefore, in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, since the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portions is adjusted to be larger than the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portions, the sealing property of the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141, which are relatively more easily affected by the penetration of the external plating solution, can be improved, and the excessive formation of the Cu-containing oxide inside the electrode layers 131 and 141 can be suppressed.

[0079] That is to say, in the multilayer electronic component 100 according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when in the electrode layers 131 and 141, the region provided at the center of the main body 110 in the first direction is defined as the central portion, and the regions provided on both sides of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction are defined as the side portions, the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portions can be adjusted to be larger than the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portions, thereby improving the capacitance per unit volume and the sealing property of the multilayer electronic component 100, and suppressing the deterioration of the electrical connectivity of the external electrodes 130 and 140.

[0080] In addition, the method for forming the central portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 and the side portions, which are regions provided on both sides of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction, is not particularly limited. For example, a conductive paste obtained by mixing copper particles with a size less than or equal to 500 nm, glass particles, and other organic materials including a dispersant can be used to form the side portions and the central portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 according to the exemplary embodiments. When using fine copper particles with a size less than or equal to 500 nm, due to the low surface tension of the fine copper particles, the side portions of the electrode layer, which are easily affected by the penetration of the plating solution, can be formed thick, and the central portion can be formed relatively thinner than the side portions. Therefore, the sealing property and the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100 can be improved simultaneously.

[0081] The method for measuring the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion and the content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portion is not particularly limited.

[0082] First, the content of Cu-containing oxide in the side portion can be obtained by performing scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis on a region with a width × length = 15 μm × 15 μm in the side portion of the region with the maximum thickness where the electrode layers 131 and 141 are formed, in the cross-sections in the first direction and the second direction polished to the center in the third direction passing through the multilayer electronic component 100, to calculate the ratio of the atomic percentage (at%) of O to the atomic percentage (at%) of Cu.

[0083] In addition, the content of Cu-containing oxide in the central portion can be obtained by performing scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis on a region with a width × length = 15 μm × 15 μm in the central portion of the region with the minimum thickness where the electrode layers 131 and 141 are formed, in the cross-sections in the first direction and the second direction polished to the center in the third direction passing through the multilayer electronic component 100, to calculate the ratio of the atomic percentage (at%) of O to the atomic percentage (at%) of Cu. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by those of ordinary skill in the art can be used.

[0084] As an example, first, the multilayer electronic component is polished to the center in the third direction, and SEM-EDS analysis is performed on the side portion and the central portion of the electrode layer in the cross-sections in the first direction and the second direction. Then, using an image processing program, regions with a Cu content of 50 at% or more relative to O are mapped, and their areas are compared. This enables an indirect comparison of the content of Cu-containing oxide in the side portion and the central portion of the electrode layer.

[0085] In the electrode layers 131 and 141, in the cross-sections in the first direction and the second direction polished to the center in the third direction passing through the multilayer electronic component 100, when the electrode layer 131 or 141 provided on the third surface 3 or the fourth surface 4 is divided into 16 equally spaced points in the first direction, the region from approximately 6 / 16 points to 10 / 16 points (for example, the 6th point to the 10th point counted from the outermost point in the first direction) can be defined as the central portion, and the region other than the central portion can be referred to as the side portion, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the formation regions of the central portion and the side portion can vary according to the position of the convex shape of the electrode layers 131 and 141.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include a glass containing one or more of B, Ba, and Si. The glass may be included in the electrode layers 131 and 141 and may be used to improve the sintering characteristics of the electrode layers 131 and 141. When the electrode layers 131 and 141 are sintered electrodes including glass, the glass may be eroded due to the plating formed on the electrode layers 131 and 141, which may damage the electrode layers 131 and 141 and may cause deterioration of the characteristics of the multilayer electronic component 100. However, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, since the electrode layers 131 and 141 include Cu and a Cu-containing oxide having acid resistance, the multilayer electronic component 100 may have a hermetic seal.

[0087] In an exemplary embodiment, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include Cu as a main component and may include a Cu-containing oxide. Specifically, the total atomic percentage of Cu and O included in the electrode layers 131 and 141 may exceed 80 at% based on all components. In this case, all components included in the electrode layers 131 and 141 may refer to Cu and O, and all other components except Cu and O. For example, the Cu-containing oxide may include one or more of Cu2O and CuO.

[0088] In an exemplary embodiment, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include a region where the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.9. When the electrode layers 131 and 141 include a Cu-containing oxide, the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O in the electrode layers 131 and 141 may be greater than or equal to a specific ratio. For example, when the electrode layers 131 and 141 include Cu2O as the Cu-containing oxide, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include a region where the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.9.

[0089] Furthermore, in the electrode layers 131 and 141, the area of the region where the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.9 may account for 1 / 2 or more of the total area of the electrode layers 131 and 141. Therefore, the proportion of the Cu-containing oxide in the electrode layers 131 and 141 can be improved, and the hermetic seal of the multilayer electronic component 100 can be further improved. The area of the region where the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.9 can be measured using SEM-EDS and image analysis software, and the total area of the electrode layer can be measured using SEM and image analysis software. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by those of ordinary skill in the art can be used.

[0090] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include a first electrode layer 131a and 141a and a second electrode layer 131b and 141b.

[0091] Specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, the electrode layers 131 and 141 may include a first electrode layer 131a and 141a in contact with the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and a second electrode layer 131b and 141b disposed on the first electrode layer 131a and 141a and in contact with the plating layers 132 and 142 to be described later. The first electrode layer 131a and 141a may include Cu, and the second electrode layer 131b and 141b may include a Cu-containing oxide. In this case, since the first electrode layer 131a and 141a in direct contact with the inner electrodes 121 and 122 include Cu, the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140 can be improved. And since the second electrode layer 131b and 141b in direct contact with the plating layers 132 and 142 to be described later include a Cu-containing oxide, the sealing performance of the multi-layer electronic component 100 can be improved.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the first electrode layer 131a and 141a may be disposed to extend from the third surface 3 and the fourth surface 4 of the main body 110 that face each other in the second direction to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 of the main body 110 that face each other in the first direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the first electrode layer 131a and 141a only extending to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 of the main body 110 that face each other in the first direction, and the first electrode layer 131a and 141a may also be disposed to extend to the fifth surface 5 and the sixth surface 6 of the main body 110 that face each other in the third direction. Since the first electrode layer 131a and 141a are disposed to extend to the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 of the main body 110 that face each other in the first direction and / or extend to the fifth surface 5 and the sixth surface 6 of the main body 110 that face each other in the third direction, the mechanical strength of the multi-layer electronic component 100 can be improved.

[0093] In an exemplary embodiment, the average thickness T1 of the first electrode layers 131a and 141a may be greater than or equal to 4 μm and less than or equal to 6 μm. As described above, since the first electrode layers 131a and 141a are in direct contact with the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and are used to improve the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140, the first electrode layers 131a and 141a may preferably be formed to have a sufficient thickness. However, when the first electrode layers 131a and 141a are formed to have an excessively large thickness, it may be difficult to improve the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100 due to the excessive increase in the thickness of the entire electrode layers 131 and 141. Therefore, the average thickness T1 of the first electrode layers 131a and 141a may be adjusted to be greater than or equal to 4 μm and less than or equal to 6 μm. Thus, the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100 can be ensured, and the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140 can be improved.

[0094] As described above, since the first electrode layers 131a and 141a are in direct contact with the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and are used to improve the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140, preferably, the copper included in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a is substantially not oxidized. That is, in the exemplary embodiment, the content of O in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a may be less than or equal to 10 at% compared to the total content of the elements included in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a. The content of O can be measured using SEM-EDS. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by those of ordinary skill in the art can also be used.

[0095] As described above, since the first electrode layers 131a and 141a are in direct contact with the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and are used to improve the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140, preferably, the Cu included in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a is densely formed. That is, in the exemplary embodiment, the area of Cu in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a per unit area may be larger than the area of Cu in the second electrode layers 131b and 141b per unit area. Therefore, the density of Cu included in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a can be increased to improve the electrical connectivity between the inner electrodes 121 and 122 and the outer electrodes 130 and 140. The area of Cu in the first electrode layers 131a and 141a per unit area and the area of Cu in the second electrode layers 131b and 141b per unit area can be measured using SEM-EDS and image analysis software. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by those of ordinary skill in the art can also be used.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the maximum thickness of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b to the maximum thickness of the electrode layers 131 and 141 may be greater than or equal to 1 / 2. That is, in a region where the maximum thickness of the electrode layers 131 and 141 is formed, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may be formed to have a thickness of 1 / 2 or more of the maximum thickness of the electrode layers 131 and 141.

[0097] In addition, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may have a maximum thickness in the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 described above. That is, the side portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 having a convex shape in the second direction may be formed by the second electrode layers 131b and 141b. Additionally, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may have a minimum thickness in the central portions of the electrode layers 131 and 141 described above.

[0098] Referring to Figure 3 , when the maximum thickness of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b is represented as T2max, and the minimum thickness of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b is represented as T2min, T2max / T2min may satisfy being greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than or equal to 2.0.

[0099] In this case, when T2max / T2min is less than 1.0, the side portions may not be formed thick enough, or the central portions may not be formed thin enough, resulting in the effect of improving the capacitance per unit volume not being achieved.

[0100] Additionally, when T2max / T2min is greater than 2.0, the curvature of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may be too large, which may deteriorate the plating property.

[0101] In the present exemplary embodiment, since T2max / T2min is adjusted to satisfy being greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than or equal to 2.0, the effect of increasing the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100 can be ensured, and the problem of reduced plating property can be solved.

[0102] The method of measuring the maximum thickness of the electrode layers 131 and 141, the average thickness of the first electrode layers 131a and 141a, and the minimum thickness T2min and the maximum thickness T2max of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b is not particularly limited. For example, the above thicknesses can be obtained as follows: in a cross-section in the first direction and the second direction polished to pass through the center of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the third direction, a region where the electrode layers 131 and 141 are formed can be observed from an image obtained by an optical microscope (OM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), etc., and then the above thicknesses can be measured. Even if not described in the present disclosure, other methods and / or tools understood by those of ordinary skill in the art can be used.

[0103] Specifically, the maximum thickness of the electrode layers 131 and 141 may refer to the dimension in the second direction of the region in which the maximum thickness is formed in either of the electrode layers 131 and 141, and the maximum thickness T2max and the minimum thickness T2min of the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may respectively refer to the dimensions in the second direction of the regions in which the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness are formed in the second electrode layers 131b and 141b, respectively.

[0104] On the other hand, the average thickness of the first electrode layers 131a and 141a may be a value obtained by dividing the regions of the first electrode layers 131a and 141a disposed on the capacitance forming portion Ac into five equal regions in the first direction, measuring the dimensions in the second direction of each region, and then calculating the average value thereof.

[0105] In an exemplary embodiment, the outer electrodes 130 and 140 may further include plating layers 132 and 142 respectively disposed on the electrode layers 131 and 141.

[0106] The plating layers 132 and 142 are for improving the mounting characteristics. The types of the plating layers 132 and 142 are not particularly limited, and the plating layers 132 and 142 may be single-layer plating layers 132 and 142 including one or more of Ni, Sn, Pd, and their alloys, and the plating layers 132 and 142 may also be formed of multiple layers.

[0107] For more specific examples of the plating layers 132 and 142, the plating layers 132 and 142 may be Ni plating layers or Sn plating layers, or may be in a form in which Ni plating layers and Sn plating layers are sequentially formed on the electrode layers 131 and 141, or may be in a form in which Sn plating layers, Ni plating layers, and Sn plating layers are sequentially formed on the electrode layers 131 and 141. Additionally, the plating layers 132 and 142 may include multiple Ni plating layers and / or multiple Sn plating layers. Additionally, the plating layers 132 and 142 may also be in a form in which Ni plating layers and Pd plating layers are sequentially formed on the electrode layers 131 and 141.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may not be disposed on the first surface 1 and the second surface 2 of the main body 110 that are opposite to each other in the first direction. Additionally, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may not be disposed on the fifth surface 5 and the sixth surface 6 of the main body 110 that are opposite to each other in the third direction. Accordingly, the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100 can be further improved. Further, the second electrode layers 131b and 141b may be continuous from a first corner of the main body 110 to a second corner of the main body 110, and the second corner is opposite to the first corner in the first direction. Additionally, the plating layers 132 and 142 may directly contact the first electrode layers 131a and 141a on the first surface 1 and the second surface 2.

[0109] In addition, referring to Figure 8 , it can be confirmed that, compared with the second electrode layer 131b, the first electrode layer 131a basically does not have a region in which a Cu-containing oxide (gray, dark part) is formed, and it can be confirmed that a large amount of Cu-containing oxide is formed in the second electrode layer 131b. That is, it can be confirmed that the first electrode layer 131a is a thin layer having a high density of Cu, the second electrode layer 131b includes a Cu-containing oxide, and a convex-shaped side portion of the electrode layer is formed. However, Figure 8 the description of Figure 8 is only an example to help understand the present disclosure, and it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the first electrode layer 131a and the second electrode layer 131b shown in

[0110] Figure 6 A perspective view schematically showing a multilayer electronic component according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0111] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III' in Figure 6 .

[0112] Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the external electrodes 130' and 140' of the multilayer electronic component 100' according to another exemplary embodiment include electrode layers 131 and 141 that are connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122 and include Cu and a Cu-containing oxide. The electrode layers 131 and 141 may include first electrode layers 131a and 141a and second electrode layers 131b and 141b.

[0113] The outer electrodes 130' and 140' of the multilayer electronic component 100' according to another exemplary embodiment may further include: conductive resin layers 133 and 143, disposed on the electrode layers 131 and 141 and in direct contact with the second electrode layers 131b and 141b; and plating layers 132 and 142, disposed on the conductive resin layers 133 and 143. Accordingly, according to the present disclosure, even when the conductive resin layers 133 and 143 are formed in the outer electrodes 130' and 140', the proportion of the outer electrodes 130' and 140' in the multilayer electronic component 100' can be reduced, thereby improving the capacitance per unit volume of the multilayer electronic component 100'. Additionally, as Figure 7 shown, the conductive resin layers 133 and 143 may be in direct contact with the first electrode layers 131a and 141a on the first surface 1 and the second surface 2.

[0114] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and drawings, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art can make various substitutions, variations, or modifications without departing from the scope of the present disclosure defined by the appended claims, and such substitutions, variations, or modifications should be construed as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] Furthermore, the expression "exemplary embodiment" used in the present disclosure does not mean the same embodiment, and is provided to emphasize and explain different unique features. However, the embodiments presented above do not exclude the combination of features with another embodiment. For example, although the matters described in a specific embodiment are not described in another embodiment, unless there is a description contrary to or conflicting with that matter in another embodiment, that matter can be understood as a description related to another embodiment.

[0116] In the present disclosure, the terms are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular meaning may also include the plural meaning.

Claims

1. A multilayer electronic component comprising: A body comprising a dielectric layer and inner electrodes alternately arranged in a first direction, wherein the dielectric layer is interposed between the inner electrodes; as well as external electrodes disposed on surfaces of the body that are opposite to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the outer electrode comprises an electrode layer connected to the inner electrode and comprising Cu and a Cu-containing oxide, In the electrode layer, when a region disposed on the center of the body in the first direction is defined as a central portion, and a region disposed on at least one side of the central portion in the first direction and having a convex shape in the second direction is defined as a side portion, A content of the Cu-containing oxide in the side portion is greater than a content of the Cu-containing oxide in the central portion.

2. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein The electrode layer includes a region in which a ratio of an atomic percentage of Cu to an atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.

9.

3. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 2, wherein: In the electrode layer, the area of ​​the region in which the ratio of the atomic percentage of Cu to the atomic percentage of O is greater than or equal to 1.9 occupies 1 / 2 or more of the total area of ​​the electrode layer.

4. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein: The electrode layer includes a first electrode layer in contact with the internal electrode and a second electrode layer disposed on the first electrode layer. Wherein, the first electrode layer includes Cu, and the second electrode layer includes the Cu-containing oxide.

5. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: The first electrode layer is disposed to extend from the surfaces of the body that are opposite to each other in the second direction to the surfaces of the body that are opposite to each other in the first direction.

6. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: The second electrode layer is not provided on surfaces of the body that are opposite to each other in the first direction.

7. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: The average thickness of the first electrode layer is greater than or equal to 4 μm and less than or equal to 6 μm.

8. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: When the maximum thickness of the second electrode layer is defined as T2max and the minimum thickness of the second electrode layer is defined as T2min, T2max / T2min satisfies greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than or equal to 2.

0.

9. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: A ratio of the maximum thickness of the second electrode layer to the maximum thickness of the electrode layer is greater than or equal to 1 / 2.

10. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein A content of O in the first electrode layer is less than or equal to 10 at % compared to a total content of elements included in the first electrode layer.

11. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: The area of ​​Cu in the first electrode layer per unit area is larger than the area of ​​Cu in the second electrode layer per unit area.

12. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein The external electrode further includes a plating layer disposed on the electrode layer.

13. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein The external electrode further includes a conductive resin layer disposed on the electrode layer and a plating layer disposed on the conductive resin layer.

14. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein The electrode layer includes glass containing one or more of B, Ba, and Si.

15. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein: The second electrode layer is continuous from a first corner of the body to a second corner of the body, and the second corner is opposite to the first corner in the first direction.

16. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 15, wherein The second electrode layer has a maximum thickness in the side portion, and the second electrode layer has a minimum thickness in the central portion.

17. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 15, wherein: The external electrode further includes a plating layer directly contacting the first electrode layer on surfaces of the body opposite to each other in the first direction.

18. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 15, wherein The external electrode further includes a conductive resin layer directly contacting the first electrode layer on surfaces of the body opposite to each other in the first direction.

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