Electronic component

Abstract

The utility model relates to an electronic component. The utility model provides an electronic component which can improve the visibility of a mark and can judge the direction of the component based on the position of the mark in a base body. The electronic component includes a substrate, a mark formed on a main surface of the substrate, and a recess formed on the main surface of the substrate. A portion of the mark is formed in a portion of the recess. As a result, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base, a portion of the mark overlaps a portion of the recess.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to an electronic component having a substrate and a mark formed on the outer surface of the substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] As an example of an electronic component including a base body and a mark formed on the outer surface of the base body, Patent Document 1 discloses a passive electronic component including a mark portion indicating the direction of the component.

[0003] In the passive electronic component disclosed in Patent Document 1, the marking portion corresponding to the mark is formed at a position offset from the center of the outer surface of the insulating portion corresponding to the base, or the marking portion has an asymmetric shape such as a triangle, thereby enabling the orientation of the component to be determined.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-37516

[0005] The mark is read by a camera, for example. When the mark is formed at a position offset from the center of the outer surface of the substrate, the direction of the component can be determined by reading the position of the mark. However, when the mark is formed at the center of the outer surface of the substrate, there is a concern that the direction of the component cannot be determined at the position of the mark.

[0006] In the case where the mark is an asymmetric shape, even if the mark is formed in the central part of the outer surface of the substrate, the direction of the component can be determined by reading the shape of the mark. However, the reading of the shape of the mark requires higher reading accuracy than the reading of the position of the mark. Therefore, it is preferable to determine the direction of the component by reading the position of the mark rather than determining the direction of the component by reading the shape of the mark.

[0007] In addition, when the size of the substrate is small, the space for forming the mark is limited. In addition, there is a concern that the mark interferes with the electrodes formed on the substrate. In order to solve these problems, it is considered to reduce the size of the mark. However, due to reducing the mark, the visibility of the mark is likely to decrease. Utility Model Content

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an electronic component capable of improving the visibility of a mark and determining the direction of the component based on the position of the mark in a substrate.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is constructed as follows.

[0010] An electronic component according to one embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0011] matrix; and

[0012] A mark is formed on the outer surface of the substrate.

[0013] A recess is formed on the outer surface of the substrate.

[0014] A portion of the mark is formed in the recessed portion.

[0015] According to the utility model, the visibility of the mark can be improved, and the direction of the component can be determined based on the position of the mark in the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a top view of the electronic component involved in embodiment of this invention.

[0017] Figure 2 Yes means Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of section AA.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view when an interlayer connection conductor is formed on a base material in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view when printing internal electrodes on a substrate in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view showing a process of printing a mark on a substrate in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view when a plurality of base materials are stacked to form a base body in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 1 of embodiment of this invention.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention.

[0024] Fig. 9 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 3 of embodiment of this invention.

[0025] Fig.10 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 4 of embodiment of this invention.

[0026] Fig.11 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 5 of embodiment of this invention.

[0027] Fig.12 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 6 of embodiment of this invention.

[0028] Fig.13 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 7 of embodiment of this invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] An electronic component according to one embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0030] matrix; and

[0031] A mark is formed on the outer surface of the substrate.

[0032] A recess is formed on the outer surface of the substrate.

[0033] A portion of the mark is formed in the recessed portion.

[0034] According to this structure, a part of the mark is formed in the recess. Therefore, a part of the mark and a part other than the part of the mark can be made to have different depths. Thus, the appearance of the mark can be changed according to each position in the mark. For example, when the mark is irradiated with light, the position in the mark corresponding to the recess looks darker than the position in the mark corresponding to the recess other than the recess. Based on the difference in appearance, the mark can be identified as a non-rotationally symmetrical mark in the case of including elements other than the shape such as brightness, color, pattern, etc. As a result, the direction of the electronic component can be determined based on the position of the mark.

[0035] According to this structure, a part of the mark is formed in the concave portion. Therefore, when the mark is irradiated with light, the position in the mark corresponding to the concave portion appears darker than the position in the mark corresponding to the portion other than the concave portion. Thus, a difference in lightness and darkness is generated between the position in the mark corresponding to the concave portion and the position in the mark not corresponding to the concave portion. As a result, the visibility of the mark can be improved.

[0036] In the electronic component, a portion of the mark formed in the recess may be asymmetrical with respect to a center point of rotational symmetry of the mark when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base.

[0037] When the portion of the mark formed in the recess is symmetrical with respect to the rotational symmetry center point of the mark when viewed from an orthogonal direction, the mark cannot be identified as a non-rotationally symmetrical mark based on the difference in appearance between the position in the mark corresponding to the recess and the position in the mark corresponding to the position outside the recess. However, according to this structure, the portion of the mark formed in the recess is asymmetrical with respect to the rotational symmetry center point of the mark. Therefore, the mark can be identified as a non-rotationally symmetrical mark in the case of including elements other than shape such as brightness, color, pattern, etc.

[0038] In the above electronic component, the shape of the mark may be different from the shape of the recess when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base.

[0039] According to this structure, compared with a structure in which the shape of the mark and the shape of the recess are the same when viewed from an orthogonal direction, the difference between the portion of the mark formed in the recess and the portion formed outside the recess can be clearly seen. Thus, the visibility of the mark can be improved.

[0040] In the above-mentioned electronic component, when viewed from an orthogonal direction to the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate, the above-mentioned recess may be formed as a spanning portion of the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate on which the above-mentioned mark is formed and a portion of the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate on which the above-mentioned mark is not formed.

[0041] According to this structure, the recessed portion can be made larger than a structure in which the recessed portion is formed only in the portion where the mark is formed. Thus, the recessed portion can be easily formed in the base body.

[0042] In the electronic component, the recess may be formed only in a portion of the outer surface of the base body where the mark is formed, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base body.

[0043] According to this structure, the recessed portion is not formed outside the mark. Thus, in the electronic component, the portion for forming the mark and the portion for forming the recessed portion can be made common. Therefore, the electronic component can be miniaturized.

[0044] In the above electronic component, a plurality of the recessed portions may be formed on the outer surface of the base.

[0045] When the mark is irradiated with light, the position in the mark corresponding to the recessed portion appears darker than the position in the mark corresponding to the portion other than the recessed portion. According to this structure, a plurality of recessed portions are formed on the outer surface of the substrate. Therefore, a plurality of dark-looking portions in the mark are formed. Thus, a plurality of light and dark boundaries can be formed in the mark. As a result, the visibility of the mark can be improved.

[0046] In the electronic component, a depth of the recessed portion along a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base may be equal to or greater than a thickness of the mark along a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base.

[0047] When light is irradiated to the mark formed in the concave portion, the deeper the concave portion is, the darker the mark formed in the concave portion appears. According to this structure, the depth of the concave portion along the orthogonal direction is greater than the thickness of the mark along the orthogonal direction. Therefore, compared with a structure in which the depth of the concave portion along the orthogonal direction is less than the thickness of the mark along the orthogonal direction, the visibility of the mark can be improved.

[0048] In the above-mentioned electronic component, when observed from an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate, the above-mentioned mark may also be a rotationally symmetrical shape. When observed from an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate, the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate may also be a rotationally symmetrical shape. When observed from an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate, the center point of the rotational symmetry of the above-mentioned mark may also be consistent or approximately consistent with the center point of the rotational symmetry of the outer surface of the above-mentioned substrate.

[0049] Even if the mark and the outer surface of the substrate have rotationally symmetrical shapes when viewed from an orthogonal direction, a structure in which the center point of rotational symmetry of the mark and the center point of rotational symmetry of the outer surface of the substrate when viewed from an orthogonal direction coincide or approximately coincide with each other can achieve the following effects. As described above, based on the difference in appearance when irradiated with light, a mark with a rotationally symmetrical shape can be identified as a mark that is not rotationally symmetrical in terms of factors other than shape, such as brightness, color, and pattern. As a result, the direction of the electronic component can be determined based on the position of the mark in the substrate.

[0050] In the above electronic component, the base may be made of ceramics.

[0051] <Implementation Method>

[0052] Figure 1 It is a top view of the electronic component involved in embodiment of this invention. Figure 2 Yes means Figure 1 The electronic component is a component having a mark on the substrate. The electronic component according to the present embodiment is provided with an internal conductor and an external electrode on the substrate in addition to the mark. The electronic component can be mounted on a mother substrate or the like via the external electrode.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment includes a base 20, an interlayer connection conductor 30, an internal electrode 40, an external electrode 50, a plating layer 55, and an identification mark 60. The identification mark 60 is an example of a mark.

[0054] The substrate 20 is a rectangular parallelepiped as a whole. The shape of the substrate 20 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped. In the present embodiment, the substrate 20 is an integrated structure of stacked substrates 22 to 28. In addition, the number of substrates constituting the substrate 20 is not limited to 7. Each of the substrates 22 to 28 is insulating and plate-shaped. In the present embodiment, the substrate 20 (each substrate 22 to 28) is composed of LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics). The substrate 20 is not limited to LTCC, and may be composed of ceramics other than LTCC such as alumina, for example, or may be composed of resins such as glass epoxy, Teflon (registered trademark), and paper phenol. In the case of the present embodiment, the substrate 20 is a sintered body of the same material, so there is no interface between the substrates 22 to 28. Figure 2 In the figure, for the convenience of explanation, a dotted line is drawn between each base material 22 to 28. In addition, when the base body 20 is formed by stacking different kinds of materials, Figure 2 The area indicated by the middle dotted line is the residual interface.

[0055] like Figure 2 As shown, the substrate 20 has main surfaces 20A, 20B and side surfaces 20C. The main surface 20A is the main surface of the substrate 22 and faces the outside of the substrate 20. The main surface 20B is the main surface of the substrate 28 and faces the outside of the substrate 20. The main surface 20B faces the opposite direction to the main surface 20A. The side surface 20C is composed of the side surfaces of the substrates 22 to 28. The side surface 20C connects the main surfaces 20A and 20B.

[0056] Figure 1 The top view is from the orthogonal direction 100 (refer to Figure 2 ) is a diagram of observing the electronic component 10. The orthogonal direction 100 is a direction orthogonal to the main surface 20B of the substrate 20. In other words, the orthogonal direction 100 is a direction orthogonal to the identification mark 60. Figure 1 As shown, the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 is a rectangle when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. That is, in this embodiment, the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 is a rotationally symmetrical shape with the rotation center as the center point 20Ba when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. The main surface 20B of the substrate may also be a non-rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, for example, a T-shape when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100.

[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a recess 20E is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 20. The recess 20E is formed on the surface on which the identification mark 60 is formed. In the present embodiment, as described later, the identification mark 60 is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 20. Therefore, the recess 20E is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 20. The surface on which the recess 20E is formed is equivalent to the outer surface of the substrate. That is, in the present embodiment, the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 is equivalent to the outer surface of the substrate.

[0058] The recess 20E may be formed on a surface other than the main surface 20B of the substrate. For example, when the identification mark 60 is formed on the main surface 20A of the substrate 20, the recess 20E is formed on the main surface 20A of the substrate. In addition, for example, when the identification mark 60 is formed on both the main surfaces 20A and 20B of the substrate 20, the recess 20E may be formed on both the main surfaces 20A and 20B of the substrate, or may be formed on one of the main surfaces 20A and 20B of the substrate 20. That is, when the electronic component 10 has the identification mark 60 on a plurality of surfaces, the recess 20E is formed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces.

[0059] The concave portion 20E is spherical. In other words, the surface constituting the concave portion 20E is a spherical surface. Figure 1 As shown, the recess 20E is circular when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. However, the shape of the recess 20E is not limited to a spherical shape. For example, the recess 20E may also be a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the recess 20E is rectangular when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100.

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown, the interlayer connection conductor 30 is formed inside the base body 20. The interlayer connection conductor 30 may be formed on at least one of the base materials 22 to 28. In the present embodiment, the interlayer connection conductor 30 is formed on the base materials 22 to 26.

[0061] The interlayer connection conductor 30 is a conductor formed by filling a conductive paste in a through hole 20D that penetrates at least one of the multiple substrates 22 to 28 along the thickness direction of the substrates 22 to 28 and co-firing with a ceramic (LTCC in this embodiment). The conductive paste contains, for example, a conductive powder such as copper. The conductive powder contained in the conductive paste is not limited to copper, and may be, for example, silver. In the case where the substrate 20 is composed of a resin, the interlayer connection conductor 30 is a conductor formed by plating a conductive metal composed of copper or the like. In this embodiment, the through hole 20D is cylindrical, so the interlayer connection conductor 30 is cylindrical. The shape of the through hole 20D is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be, for example, a quadrangular prism or the like.

[0062] exist Figure 2In the embodiment, the interlayer connection conductor 30 includes four interlayer connection conductors 31 to 34. The interlayer connection conductor 31 is filled in the through hole 20D penetrating the substrates 24 to 26. The interlayer connection conductor 32 is filled in the through hole 20D penetrating the substrates 25 and 26. The interlayer connection conductor 33 is filled in the through hole 20D penetrating the substrates 22 to 26. The interlayer connection conductor 34 is filled in the through hole 20D penetrating the substrates 22 and 23. The number of interlayer connection conductors 30 is not limited to four. The length in the thickness direction of each interlayer connection conductor 31 to 34 (the number of substrates penetrated) is not limited to the above length.

[0063] The internal electrode 40 is formed inside the base 20 and is not exposed to the outside of the base 20. The internal electrode 40 may be formed on at least one of the substrates 22 to 28. In the present embodiment, the internal electrode 40 is formed on the main surface 24A of the substrate 24, the main surface 25A of the substrate 25, and the main surface 27A of the substrate 27.

[0064] When the base body 20 is made of ceramic as in the present embodiment, the internal electrode 40 is an electrode formed by printing a conductive paste on the main surface of the base material (the main surfaces 24A, 25A, 27A in the present embodiment) and co-firing the base material. The conductive paste is made of copper or silver, for example. When the base body 20 is made of resin, the internal electrode 40 is formed on the main surface of the base material by a known means such as etching a metal foil.

[0065] exist Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , the internal electrode 40 includes four internal electrodes 41 to 44 . The internal electrode 41 is formed on the main surface 24A of the substrate 24 . The internal electrode 42 is formed on the main surface 25A of the substrate 25 . The internal electrodes 43 and 44 are formed on the main surface 27A of the substrate 27 .

[0066] Each internal electrode 40 is electrically connected to other internal electrodes 40 and an external electrode 50 via an interlayer connection conductor 30. In the present embodiment, the internal electrodes 41 and 43 are electrically connected to each other via the interlayer connection conductor 31. In addition, the internal electrodes 42 and 44 are electrically connected to each other via the interlayer connection conductor 32. In addition, each of the internal electrodes 41 and 43 is electrically connected to an external electrode 50 described later via the interlayer connection conductors 33 and 34.

[0067] The external electrode 50 is formed outside the base 20. That is, the external electrode 50 is exposed to the outside of the base 20. In the present embodiment, the external electrode 50 is formed on the main surface of the substrate 22, that is, the main surface 20A of the base 20. In addition, the external electrode 50 may also be formed on the main surface of the substrate 28, that is, the main surface 20B of the base 20.

[0068] The external electrode 50 is configured similarly to the internal electrode 40. That is, in the present embodiment, the external electrode 50 is an electrode formed by printing a conductive paste on the main surface 20A of the base 20 and co-firing with the base materials 22 to 28. In the present embodiment, the electronic component 10 includes two external electrodes 50. As described above, each external electrode 50 is electrically connected to each of the internal electrodes 41 and 43.

[0069] The plating layer 55 covers the external electrode 50. The plating layer 55 suppresses the influence of air, moisture, etc. on the external electrode 50. The plating layer 55 is, for example, a film composed of Ni-Sn, Ni-electroless Au, etc. Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , two plating layers 55 are depicted, but the number of plating layers 55 included in the electronic component 10 is not limited to two.

[0070] The identification mark 60 is formed on the substrate 20. The identification mark 60 is used to indicate the posture and direction of the electronic component 10. In the present embodiment, the identification mark 60 is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 20, which is the outer surface of the substrate 20. In addition, the identification mark 60 may also be formed on other outer surfaces of the substrate 20, such as the main surface 20A of the substrate. In addition, in the present embodiment, the electronic component 10 has one identification mark 60, but may also have a plurality of identification marks 60. In addition, in each figure, the color of the identification mark 60 is represented by gray, but the color of the identification mark 60 is not limited to gray, and may also be other colors such as black and red.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the identification mark 60 is inserted into the base 20. In addition, the outer surface of the identification mark 60 may not be inserted into the base 20. For example, the identification mark 60 may be inserted into the base 20 only partially, and may protrude from the main surface 20B of the base 20.

[0072] The identification mark 60 is made of a material different from that of the base 20. In the present embodiment, the identification mark 60 is made of a non-conductive inorganic material (eg, ceramic).

[0073] In addition, the identification mark 60 is not limited to ceramics, and can also be composed of, for example, resins, conductive components (such as metals such as copper and silver). In addition, by making the ceramic a different color from the substrate 20, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can also be improved. For example, oxide ceramics such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and cobalt can be mixed to change the color. In addition, the identification mark 60 can also be composed of multiple materials. For example, the identification mark 60 can be composed of a main material with the highest proportion in the constituent materials and at least one other material with a lower proportion than the main material. In this case, for example, glass, a material close to the substrate 20, that is, a component of LTCC, etc. are added to the main material of the identification mark 60 as other materials of the identification mark 60.

[0074] like Figure 1As shown, the identification mark 60 is circular when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. That is, in the present embodiment, the identification mark 60 is a rotationally symmetrical shape with the rotation center as the center point 60A when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. In addition, in the present embodiment, the rotationally symmetrical center point 60A of the identification mark 60 is consistent with the rotationally symmetrical center point 20Ba of the main surface 20B of the base 20 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. The shape of the identification mark 60 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be, for example, a quadrilateral.

[0075] Furthermore, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the rotationally symmetrical center point 60A of the identification mark 60 and the rotationally symmetrical center point 20Ba of the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 do not need to be completely consistent. For example, the two center points 60A and 20Ba may be separated by a distance corresponding to an error in forming the identification mark 60 and a tolerance of the substrate 20. That is, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the two center points 60A and 20Ba may be substantially consistent.

[0076] In the present embodiment, as described above, the recess 20E of the base 20 is circular when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. In addition, the recess 20E of the base 20 is the same size as the identification mark 60 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100.

[0077] When viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the center point 20Ea of the recess 20E is located at a position different from the rotationally symmetrical center point 60A of the identification mark 60. That is, the recess 20E is formed at a position offset from the identification mark 60. Thus, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, a portion of the identification mark 60 overlaps with a portion of the recess 20E of the base 20. That is, a portion of the identification mark 60 is formed in the recess 20E of the base 20. In other words, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the recess 20E of the base 20 is formed so as to straddle a portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is formed and a portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is not formed.

[0078] By configuring as described above, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the portion ( Figure 1 The hatched portion in the figure is referred to as the overlapping portion 60B hereinafter. ) is asymmetrical with respect to the rotationally symmetric center point 60A of the identification mark 60 .

[0079] like Figure 2As shown, the depth D of the recess 20E along the orthogonal direction 100 is greater than the thickness T of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100. In the case where the depth of the recess 20E along the orthogonal direction 100 is different at each position in the recess 20E, the depth D of the recess 20E is the maximum depth among the depths at each position. In the case where the thickness of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100 is different at each position in the identification mark 60, the thickness T of the identification mark 60 is the maximum thickness among the thicknesses at each position. For example, in the present embodiment, the depth D is 6 to 7 (μm) and the thickness T is 5 (μm). Of course, the depth D and the thickness T are not limited to the above values.

[0080] Furthermore, the depth D of the recess 20E along the orthogonal direction 100 may be the same as the thickness T of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100 , or may be smaller than the thickness T of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100 .

[0081] According to the present embodiment, a portion of the identification mark 60 is formed in the recess 20E. Therefore, a portion of the identification mark 60 and a portion other than the portion of the identification mark 60 can be made to have different depths. Thus, the appearance of the identification mark 60 can be changed according to each position within the identification mark 60. For example, when light is irradiated to the identification mark 60, the position within the identification mark 60 corresponding to the recess 20E appears darker than the position within the identification mark 60 corresponding to the position other than the recess 20E. Based on the difference in appearance, the identification mark 60 can be identified as a non-rotationally symmetrical mark in the case of including elements other than the shape such as brightness, color, and pattern. As a result, the direction of the electronic component 10 can be determined based on the position of the identification mark 60.

[0082] According to the present embodiment, a part of the identification mark 60 is formed in the recessed portion 20E. Therefore, when light is irradiated to the identification mark 60, the position corresponding to the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60 appears darker than the position corresponding to the portion other than the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60. Thus, a difference in lightness and darkness is generated between the position corresponding to the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60 and the position not corresponding to the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60. As a result, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can be improved.

[0083] When the portion of the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E is symmetrical with respect to the rotational symmetry center 60A of the identification mark 60 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the identification mark 60 cannot be recognized as a rotationally asymmetric identification mark due to the difference in appearance between the position corresponding to the recess 20E in the identification mark 60 and the position corresponding to the position other than the recess 20E in the identification mark 60. For example, when the center point 20Ea of the recess 20E coincides with the rotational symmetry center 60A of the identification mark 60, the portion of the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E is symmetrical with respect to the rotational symmetry center 60A of the identification mark 60. However, according to the present embodiment, the portion of the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E is asymmetric with respect to the rotational symmetry center 60A of the identification mark 60. Therefore, the identification mark 60 can be recognized as a rotationally asymmetric identification mark in the case of including elements other than the shape such as brightness, color, and pattern.

[0084] According to the present embodiment, the recess 20E is formed so as to straddle the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is formed and the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is not formed, as viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. Therefore, the recess 20E can be made larger than a structure in which the recess 20E is formed only in the portion where the identification mark 60 is formed. Thus, it is easy to form the recess 20E in the base 20.

[0085] When the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E is irradiated with light, the deeper the recess 20E is, the darker the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E appears. According to the present embodiment, the depth D of the recess 20E along the orthogonal direction 100 is greater than the thickness T of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100. Therefore, compared with a structure in which the depth D of the recess 20E along the orthogonal direction 100 is smaller than the thickness T of the identification mark 60 along the orthogonal direction 100, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can be improved.

[0086] Even if the identification mark 60 and the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 have rotationally symmetrical shapes when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the structure in which the rotationally symmetrical center point 60A of the identification mark 60 and the rotationally symmetrical center point 20Ba of the main surface 20B of the substrate 20 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 are consistent or approximately consistent, also has the following effect. That is, as described above, based on the difference in appearance when irradiated with light, the identification mark 60 with a rotationally symmetrical shape can be identified as an identification mark that is not rotationally symmetrical in terms of factors other than the shape, such as brightness, color, and pattern. As a result, the direction of the electronic component 10 can be determined based on the position of the identification mark 60 in the substrate 20.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the overlapping portion 60B ( Figure 1 The area of ​​the overlapped portion 60B (hatched portion in the figure) is in the range of 30% to 70% of the area of ​​the identification mark 60. That is, in the present embodiment, the lower limit of the ratio of the area of ​​the overlapped portion 60B to the area of ​​the identification mark 60 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 is 30% of the area of ​​the identification mark 60. In addition, in the present embodiment, the upper limit of the ratio of the area of ​​the overlapped portion 60B to the area of ​​the identification mark 60 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 is 70% of the area of ​​the identification mark 60.

[0088] In addition, the lower limit is not limited to 30%, and the upper limit is not limited to 70%. The lower limit and the upper limit may be different values ​​depending on the size and shape of the identification mark 60. For example, the lower limit may be lower than 30% (e.g., 20%), or higher than 30% (e.g., 40%). In addition, for example, the upper limit may be higher than 70% (e.g., 80%), or lower than 70% (e.g., 60%).

[0089] When the lower limit is lower than an appropriate value (e.g., 30%), the area of ​​the overlapping portion 60B observed from the orthogonal direction 100 is too small, and the visibility improvement effect of the overlapping portion 60B relative to other portions of the identification mark 60 other than the overlapping portion 60B cannot be fully achieved. The visibility improvement effect is, for example, that when light is irradiated onto the identification mark 60, the overlapping portion 60B appears darker than other portions, thereby improving the visibility of the identification mark 60. In addition, when the lower limit is lower than an appropriate value, the area of ​​the overlapping portion 60B observed from the orthogonal direction 100 is too small, and there is a possibility that the shape discrimination of the overlapping portion 60B relative to other portions cannot be fully performed.

[0090] When the upper limit is higher than an appropriate value (e.g., 70%), the identification mark 60 appears dark as a whole, so the difference in shade between the identification mark 60 and other parts becomes clear, and the visibility of the identification mark 60 as a whole is improved. However, since the area of ​​the overlapping portion 60B viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 is too large relative to the area of ​​other parts, the shape of other parts relative to the overlapping portion 60B may not be sufficiently determined.

[0091] <Method for Manufacturing Electronic Component According to the Present Embodiment>

[0092] Below, refer to Figure 3 to Figure 6 A method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view when an interlayer connection conductor is formed on a base material in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view when printing internal electrodes on a substrate in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5This is a cross-sectional view showing a process of printing an identification mark on a substrate in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view when a plurality of base materials are stacked to form a base body in the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] The electronic component 10 is manufactured by dividing the laminate into a plurality of substrates 20. The laminate is formed by integrating the plurality of substrates 20 in an aligned state. Figure 3 to Figure 6 For the sake of convenience, only the portion corresponding to one substrate 20 in the stacked body is shown. The method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment includes a sheet forming step, an interlayer connection conductor forming step, an electrode forming step, an identification mark forming step, a substrate forming step, a slicing step, a firing step, and a plating layer forming step.

[0094] (Sheet forming process)

[0095] First, a sheet forming process is performed. In the sheet forming process, a single Figure 2 The substrates 22 to 28 shown. The substrates 22 to 28 formed in the sheet forming step are prepared by mixing raw materials including main materials corresponding to the substrates 22 to 28, plasticizers, binders, etc. to form slurries constituting the substrates 22 to 28. At this stage, the substrates 22 to 28 are green sheets composed of slurries.

[0096] For each of the base materials 22 to 28 , for example, sinterable ceramic powder is used as a main material, for example, phthalate ester, di-n-butyl phthalate, etc. is used as a plasticizer, and for example, acrylic resin, polyvinyl butyral, etc. is used as a binder.

[0097] The slurry constituting each substrate 22 to 28 is applied to the substrate 22 by using, for example, a lip coater or a doctor blade. Figure 3 The substrates 22 to 28 are formed into sheets on the carrier films 71 shown. That is, each of the seven substrates 22 to 28 is formed on each of the seven carrier films 71. As the carrier film 71, for example, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film or the like is used. The thickness of each substrate 22 to 28 is, for example, 5 to 100 (μm).

[0098] exist Figure 3 , a carrier film 71 and a substrate 22 formed on the carrier film 71 are shown.

[0099] Next, through holes 20D are formed that penetrate through the base materials 22 to 28 and the carrier film 71 in the thickness direction.

[0100] In addition, Figure 3In the embodiment, two through holes 20D are formed in the substrate 22 and the carrier film 71, but the number of through holes 20D formed in each substrate 22 to 28 is not limited to two. In addition, the number of through holes 20D formed in the seven substrates 22 to 28 and the carrier film 71 may be the same or different. In addition, the number of through holes 20D formed in the seven substrates 22 to 28 and the carrier film 71 may be the same or different.

[0101] In the method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment, the number and positions of the through holes 20D formed in the seven substrates 22 to 28 and the carrier film 71 are finally determined so as to form Figure 2 The base 20 is shown.

[0102] (Interlayer Connection Conductor Forming Step)

[0103] Next, an interlayer connection conductor forming step is performed. In the interlayer connection conductor forming step, the conductive paste 72 is filled into the through holes 20D (see FIG. 2 ) formed in the substrates 22 to 28 and the carrier film 71 in the sheet forming step. Figure 3 ).

[0104] The paste 72 is produced by mixing raw materials including, for example, conductive powder, a plasticizer, and a binder.

[0105] (Electrode Formation Process)

[0106] Next, an electrode forming step is performed. In the electrode forming step, the external electrode 50 and the internal electrode 40 are formed.

[0107] In the method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment, for example, Figure 4 As shown, a paste 73 corresponding to the internal electrode 41 is formed on the main surface 24A of the substrate 24. The paste 73 is formed by, for example, screen printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, etc. In addition, the internal electrodes 42 to 44 and the external electrode 50 are also formed on each substrate 22, 25, 27 in the same manner as the internal electrode 41.

[0108] Paste 73 is produced by mixing raw materials mainly including conductive powder, a plasticizer, and a binder, similarly to paste 72. Paste 73 may be made of the same raw materials as paste 72, or may be made of raw materials different from paste 72.

[0109] (Identification mark forming step)

[0110] Next, the identification mark forming process is performed. The identification mark forming process includes a first printing process and a second printing process.

[0111] The manufacturing method of the electronic component 10 involved in this embodiment includes: a first printing step of printing an identification mark on the main surface of a mark-printing target substrate which is one of a plurality of substrates; and a second printing step of printing a non-sintering paste on a partial area of ​​the above-mentioned identification mark, or on an area covering a portion of the main surface of the above-mentioned mark-printing target substrate and a portion of the above-mentioned identification mark.

[0112] Below, refer to Figure 5 The identification mark forming process is described below. Figure 5 In the present invention, the identification mark forming process is divided into two stages. Figure 5 The upper side of the paper is the first stage, Figure 5 The lower side of the paper is the second stage.

[0113] In the first stage, a paste 74 corresponding to the identification mark 60 is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 28. The substrate 28 is an example of a substrate on which the mark is to be printed. The paste 74 is formed, for example, by screen printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, etc. The paste 74 is made of a material constituting the above-mentioned identification mark 60. In this process, the paste 75 is formed by forming ceramic into a paste state. As described above, in the first stage, the identification mark 60 is printed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 28. The first stage is equivalent to the first printing process of the identification mark forming process.

[0114] In the second stage performed next, a paste 75 is formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 28. The material of the paste 75 is a material that is burned during the firing described later. In this process, the material of the paste 75 is a non-sinterable resin. The paste 75 is formed by, for example, screen printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, etc., similarly to the paste 74.

[0115] The paste 75 is formed over a region covering a portion of the main surface 20B of the substrate 28 and a portion of the paste 74 formed in the first stage. As described above, in the second stage, the non-sinterable paste 75 is printed on the above region. The second stage corresponds to the second printing step of the identification mark forming step.

[0116] The paste 75 forms the base of the recessed portion 20E of the base 20. Therefore, the paste 75 is printed on the area corresponding to the recessed portion 20E in the main surface 20B of the base 28. Figure 1 When the recess 20E is formed as shown in FIG. 1 , the paste 75 is formed over a region covering a portion of the main surface 20B of the substrate 28 and a portion of the identification mark 60 as described above. Fig.10 In the case where the recessed portion 20E is formed as shown, the entire paste 75 is formed on a partial region of the identification mark 60 .

[0117] (Matrix Forming Step)

[0118] Next, the method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment includes a substrate forming step of forming a substrate by stacking the plurality of substrates on each other in such a manner that the main surface of the substrate to be printed is exposed and the identification mark and the resin paste enter the substrate to be printed.

[0119] In the matrix forming process, Figure 6 As shown, the base materials 22 to 28 excluding the carrier film 71 are stacked and pressure-bonded in a mold. Thus, the base body 20 is obtained.

[0120] In the base body forming step, the seven base materials 22 to 28 are stacked in the order from the base material with the smaller reference numeral to the base material with the larger reference numeral, specifically, in the order of base materials 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28. Thus, the main surface 20A of the base material 22 and the main surface 20B of the base material 28 become the outer surfaces of the base body 20. That is, in the base body forming step, the plurality of base materials 22 to 28 are stacked on each other in such a manner that the main surface 20B of the base material 28 is exposed.

[0121] In the substrate forming step, the substrates 22 to 28 are pressed together so that the external electrode 50 is inserted into the substrate 22 and the identification mark 60 and the paste 75 are inserted into the substrate 28. That is, in the substrate forming step, the plurality of substrates 22 to 28 are stacked one on another so that the identification mark 60 and the paste 75 are inserted into the substrate 28.

[0122] (Slicing process)

[0123] Next, a slicing process is performed. In the slicing process, the stacked body in which a plurality of substrates 20 are arranged is cut into a plurality of substrates 20. The stacked body is cut using, for example, a dicing saw, a shear cutter, a laser, etc. After the stacked body is cut, the corners and edges of the substrates 20 may be ground, for example, by roller processing, etc. In addition, the grinding may be performed after the firing process.

[0124] (Firing process)

[0125] Next, a firing step is performed. The method for manufacturing the electronic component 10 according to the present embodiment includes a firing step of firing the base body to remove the resin paste.

[0126] In the firing step, the base body 20 is fired. As a result, the base materials 22 to 28 constituting the base body 20 are cured. That is, the base materials 22 to 28, which are green sheets having flexibility, are cured and transformed into substrates.

[0127] In addition, the paste 75 is burned off by firing the base 20. Thus, a recess 20E is formed in the portion where the paste 75 exists (see Figure 2 ).

[0128] The method of forming the recessed portion 20E is not limited to the above-described method of burning off the paste 75. For example, the recessed portion 20E may be formed in the base body 20 by pressing the base body 20 with a mold having a projection.

[0129] (Plating layer forming process)

[0130] Next, a plating layer forming step is performed. In the plating layer laminating step, a known plating process is applied to the external electrode 50. Figure 2 As shown, the plating layer 55 is formed to completely cover the external electrode 50 .

[0131] In addition, the plating layer 55 may be formed so as to cover only a part of the external electrode 50 . In addition, the plating layer 55 may be formed so as to cover not only the external electrode 50 but also the main surface 20A around the external electrode 50 .

[0132] According to this manufacturing method, the paste 75 that has entered the base material 28 in the base body forming step is removed by the firing step. Thus, the recess 20E can be formed in the region including at least a portion of the identification mark 60 on the main surface 20B of the base material 28 .

[0133] <Modification of the embodiment>

[0134] In the electronic component 10 involved in the embodiment described above, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the identification mark 60 and the recess 20E are both circular (same shape) and of the same size. In addition, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, a portion of the identification mark 60 and a portion of the recess 20E overlap each other. However, the identification mark 60 and the recess 20E are not limited to the above-mentioned structure. Below, a modified example of the electronic component 10 involved in the embodiment is described.

[0135] <Variation 1>

[0136] Figure 7 FIG. 6 is a top view of an electronic component according to a first variation of the embodiment of the present invention. The identification mark 60 may also be a size different from that of the recess 20E. For example, Figure 7 As shown, in electronic component 10A according to Modification 1, identification mark 60 and recess 20E are both circular, ie, have the same shape when viewed from orthogonal direction 100, but recess 20E is smaller than identification mark 60. Alternatively, recess 20E may be larger than identification mark 60 in contrast to the above.

[0137] <Variations 2 and 3>

[0138] Figure 8 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention. Fig. 9 FIG. 6 is a top view of an electronic component according to a third variation of the embodiment of the present invention. The identification mark 60 and the recess 20E may also have different shapes. For example, Figure 8 As shown, in the electronic component 10B according to the second modification, the identification mark 60 is a quadrilateral shape and the recess 20E is a circular shape when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. Fig. 9 As shown, in the electronic component 10C according to the third modification, the identification mark 60 is circular and the recess 20E is elliptical when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 .

[0139] According to this modification, the difference between the portion of the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E and the portion formed outside the recess 20E can be clearly seen, compared with a configuration in which the shape of the identification mark 60 is the same as the shape of the recess 20E when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100. Thus, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can be improved.

[0140] <Variation 4>

[0141] Fig.10 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 4 of embodiment of this invention.

[0142] like Figure 1 As shown, in the above-mentioned electronic component 10, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the recess 20E of the base 20 is formed to straddle the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is formed and the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is not formed.

[0143] On the other hand, Fig.10 As shown, in the electronic component 10D according to the second modification, the entirety of the recess 20E of the base 20 is formed in the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is formed. That is, in the electronic component 10D, the recess 20E of the base 20 is formed only in the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 where the identification mark 60 is formed. In addition, in the electronic component 10D, the recess 20E of the base 20 occupies a portion of the identification mark 60. That is, the identification mark 60 is composed of the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 formed in the recess 20E and the portion of the main surface 20B of the base 20 formed outside the recess 20E.

[0144] According to this modification, the recess 20E is not formed outside the identification mark 60. Thus, in the electronic component, the portion for forming the identification mark 60 and the portion for forming the recess 20E can be made common. Therefore, the electronic component 10 can be miniaturized.

[0145] <Variant 5>

[0146] Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a top view of an electronic component according to a fifth variation of the embodiment of the present invention. In the electronic component 10E according to the fifth variation, a plurality of recesses 20E are formed on the main surface 20B of the base 20. Fig.11 As shown, in the electronic component 10E, four recesses 20Eb, 20Ec, 20Ed, and 20Ee are formed on the main surface 20B of the base 20. When viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, a portion of each of the recesses 20Eb, 20Ec, and 20Ed overlaps with the identification mark 60. When viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the entire recess 20Ee overlaps with the identification mark 60.

[0147] In addition, the number of recesses 20E is not limited to 4. The shape of the plurality of recesses 20E is not limited to a circular shape. The sizes of the recesses 20E may be the same or different from each other. Fig.11 In the embodiment, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, a portion of each of the three recesses 20Eb, 20Ec, and 20Ed partially overlaps with the identification mark 60, and the entire recess 20Ee overlaps with the identification mark 60, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, all of the plurality of recesses 20E may only partially overlap with the identification mark 60. In addition, for example, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, all of the plurality of recesses 20E may be formed within the identification mark 60.

[0148] When the identification mark 60 is irradiated with light, the position corresponding to the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60 appears darker than the position corresponding to the portion other than the recessed portion 20E in the identification mark 60. According to this modification, a plurality of recessed portions 20E are formed on the main surface 20B of the substrate 20. Therefore, a plurality of dark-looking portions are formed in the identification mark 60. Thus, a plurality of light-dark boundary portions can be formed in the identification mark 60. As a result, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can be improved.

[0149] <Variations 6 and 7>

[0150] Fig.12 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 6 of embodiment of this invention. Fig.13 It is a top view of the electronic component which concerns on the modification 7 of embodiment of this invention.

[0151] like Figure 1 As shown, in the electronic component 10, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the overlapped portion 60B ( Figure 1 The hatched portion in the figure is asymmetrical with respect to the rotationally symmetric center point 60A of the identification mark 60.

[0152] On the other hand, Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, in the electronic component 10F according to the modification example 6 and the electronic component 10G according to the modification example 7, when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, the overlapping portion 60B ( Fig.12 and Fig.13 The hatched portion in the figure is symmetrical with respect to the rotational symmetry center point 60A of the identification mark 60.

[0153] In this case, if Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the identification mark 60 is formed so that the rotational symmetry center point 60A of the identification mark 60 is at a position different from the rotational symmetry center point 20Ba of the main surface 20B of the base 20 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100, thereby making it possible to determine the direction of the electronic component 10 based on the position of the identification mark 60. In addition, when the identification mark 60 is irradiated with light, the overlapping portion 60B of the identification mark 60 formed in the recess 20E appears darker than the other portions of the identification mark 60. Thus, the visibility of the identification mark 60 can be improved.

[0154] In structures other than Modifications 6 and 7, the identification mark 60 may be formed such that the rotational symmetry center 60A of the identification mark 60 is located at a position different from the rotational symmetry center 20Ba of the main surface 20B of the base 20 when viewed from the orthogonal direction 100 .

[0155] In addition, by appropriately combining any of the various embodiments and modifications described above, the effects possessed by each embodiment can be exhibited.

[0156] The present invention is fully described in association with the preferred embodiments with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings, but various modifications and variations are obvious to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and variations should be understood to be included in the scope of the present invention based on the attached claims as long as they do not depart from the scope of the present invention.

[0157] Description of Reference Numerals

[0158] 10...electronic component; 20...substrate; 20B...main surface (outer surface); 20E...recessed portion; 60...identification mark.

Claims

1. An electronic component, characterized in that: have: matrix; and a mark formed on the outer surface of the substrate, A recess is formed on the outer surface of the substrate. A portion of the mark is formed in the recess.

2. The electronic component according to claim 1, characterized in that A portion of the mark is formed on a portion of the outer surface of the substrate where the recess is formed. A portion other than the mark is formed on a portion of the outer surface of the base body where the recess is not formed.

3. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base, a portion of the mark formed in the recess is asymmetrical with respect to a center point of rotational symmetry of the mark.

4. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The shape of the mark is different from the shape of the recess when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base.

5. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The recessed portion is formed so as to straddle a portion of the outer surface of the base body where the mark is formed and a portion of the outer surface of the base body where the mark is not formed, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base body.

6. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The recessed portion is formed only in a portion of the outer surface of the base body where the mark is formed when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base body.

7. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A plurality of the recesses are formed on the outer surface of the base.

8. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The depth of the recessed portion along the direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base is equal to or greater than the thickness of the mark along the direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the base.

9. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When viewed from an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the substrate, the mark is a rotationally symmetrical shape. When viewed from an orthogonal direction to the outer surface of the substrate, the outer surface of the substrate is rotationally symmetrical. When viewed from an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the substrate, a center point of rotational symmetry of the mark coincides or substantially coincides with a center point of rotational symmetry of the outer surface of the substrate.

10. The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The base body is made of ceramic.

Images