Multilayer electronic component

Abstract

To provide a laminated electronic component excellent in reliability even in a high-voltage environment.SOLUTION: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a multilayer electronic component may include a body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately disposed with the dielectric layers in a first direction, external electrodes disposed on the body and connected to the internal electrodes, and a support member disposed on at least one of opposing surfaces of the body in the first direction, wherein the support member has a first end portion contacting the external electrodes and a second end portion opposing the first end portion, and the second end portion has a thickness in the first direction smaller than that of the first end portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a multilayer electronic component. [Background technology]

[0002] Multi-layered ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), a type of multilayer electronic component, are chip-type capacitors that are mounted on printed circuit boards of various electronic products, such as video equipment such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma display panels (PDPs), computers, smartphones, and mobile phones, and serve to charge and discharge electricity. MLCCs are small in size, yet have high capacitance, and are easy to mount, making them suitable for use as components in a variety of electronic devices.

[0003] Recently, the demand for MLCCs for automotive electrical equipment has been increasing rapidly, and MLCCs for automotive electrical equipment are often used in high-voltage environments. When high voltage is applied to an MLCC, the piezoelectric phenomenon of the dielectric can cause the body of the MLCC to expand and deform, which can cause cracks in the body of the MLCC.

[0004] Therefore, research into MLCCs that are highly durable against the above deformation and have excellent reliability even in high-voltage environments is currently required. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] One of the various objects of the present invention is to provide a multilayer electronic component that is highly reliable even in a high voltage environment.

[0006] However, the object of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned contents, and can be more easily understood in the course of describing specific embodiments of the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention provides a multilayer electronic component including a main body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes arranged alternately with the dielectric layers in a first direction, external electrodes arranged on the main body and connected to the internal electrodes, and a support member arranged on at least one of both surfaces of the main body facing in the first direction, the support member having a first end in contact with the external electrodes and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end being thinner in the first direction than the first end. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] One of the various effects of the present invention is that it can provide a multilayer electronic component that is highly reliable even in a high voltage environment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a multilayer electronic component according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section taken along line II' in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section taken along line II-II′ in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view schematically showing a multilayer electronic component according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 5 is a plan view schematically showing a multilayer electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view schematically showing a K1 region in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 7 is a partially enlarged view schematically illustrating a multilayer electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] 7 is a partially enlarged view schematically illustrating a multilayer electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing (a) the displacement of the support member of the comparative example in a first direction and (b) the stress in the first direction applied to the support member of the comparative example, using the COMSOL analysis program. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing (a) the displacement of the support member of the example in a first direction and (b) the stress applied to the support member of the example in the first direction, using the COMSOL analysis program. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be enlarged or reduced (or highlighted or simplified) for clearer explanation, and elements denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements.

[0011] In the drawings, parts not relevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly explain the present invention, and the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of explanation, so the present invention is not necessarily limited by the drawings. Furthermore, components having the same function within the same concept will be described using the same reference numerals. Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part "comprises" a certain component, it does not mean that other components are excluded, but that the part may further include other components, unless otherwise specified.

[0012] In the drawings, the first direction D1 can be defined as the thickness (T) direction, the second direction D2 as the length (L) direction, and the third direction D3 as the width (W) direction.

[0013] Multilayer electronic components FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a multilayer electronic component according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section taken along line I-I' in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section taken along line II-II' in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a multilayer electronic component according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view schematically showing region K1 in FIG. 2.

[0014] A multilayer electronic component 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 6. Furthermore, a multilayer ceramic capacitor will be described as an example of a multilayer electronic component, but the present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to various other multilayer electronic components, such as an inductor, a piezoelectric element, a varistor, or a thermistor.

[0015] The multilayer electronic component 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a body 110 , external electrodes 131 and 132 , and support members 141 and 142 .

[0016] The size of the multilayer electronic component 100 is not particularly limited, but the maximum length of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the second direction may be 0.1 mm to 6.0 mm, the maximum width of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the third direction may be 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, and the maximum thickness of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the first direction may be 0.05 mm to 3.5 mm.

[0017] Although there is no particular limitation on the specific shape of the body 110, the body 110 may be hexahedral or a similar shape as shown in the figure. Due to shrinkage of the ceramic powder contained in the body 110 during the firing process and a polishing process of the body 110 after firing, the body 110 may not have a hexahedral shape with perfectly straight lines, but may have a substantially hexahedral shape.

[0018] The main body 110 may have first and second surfaces 1, 2 facing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces 3, 4 connected to the first and second surfaces 1, 2 and facing each other in a second direction, and fifth and sixth surfaces 5, 6 connected to the first to fourth surfaces 1, 2, 3, 4 and facing each other in a third direction.

[0019] The body 110 may include dielectric layers 111 and internal electrodes 121, 122 alternately arranged in a first direction with the dielectric layers 111. The plurality of dielectric layers 111 forming the body 110 are in a fired state, and the boundaries between adjacent dielectric layers 111 may be integrated to the extent that they are difficult to identify without using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

[0020] The dielectric layer 111 may contain, for example, a perovskite compound represented by ABO3 as a main component. The perovskite compound represented by ABO3 may be, for example, 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)、CaZrO3または(Ca 1-x Sr x )(Zr 1-y Ti y )O3(0 <x≦0.5、0<y≦0.5)であることができる。

[0021] There are no particular limitations on the average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111. The average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be, for example, 0.1 μm to 20 μm, 0.1 μm to 10 μm, 0.1 μm to 5 μm, 0.1 μm to 2 μm, or 0.1 μm to 0.4 μm.

[0022] The internal electrodes 121 and 122 may include, for example, first internal electrodes 121 and second internal electrodes 122 that are alternately arranged in the first direction with the dielectric layer 111 sandwiched therebetween. The first internal electrode 121 and the second internal electrode 122, which are a pair of electrodes having different polarities, may be arranged to face each other with the dielectric layer 111 sandwiched therebetween.

[0023] The first internal electrode 121 may be spaced apart from the fourth surface 4 and connected to the first external electrode 131 on the third surface 3 side. The second internal electrode 122 may be spaced apart from the third surface 3 and connected to the second external electrode 132 on the fourth surface 4 side.

[0024] The conductive metal contained in the internal electrodes 121, 122 may be one or more of Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, Au, Pt, Sn, W, Ti, and alloys thereof, and the internal electrodes 121, 122 may contain, for example, Ni, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0025] There are no particular limitations on the average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121, 122. The average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121, 122 can be, for example, 0.1 μm to 3.0 μm, 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm, or 0.1 μm to 0.4 μm.

[0026] The average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 and the average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 refer to the average thicknesses of the dielectric layer 111 and the internal electrodes 121 and 122 in the first direction, respectively. The average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 and the average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 can be measured by scanning cross sections of the body 110 in the first and second directions using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with a magnification of 10,000. More specifically, the average thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 can be measured by measuring the thickness at multiple points on one dielectric layer 111, for example, 30 points equally spaced in the second direction, and then averaging the measured values. Furthermore, the average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 can be measured by measuring the thickness at multiple points on one internal electrode 121 and 122, for example, 30 points equally spaced in the second direction, and then averaging the measured values. The 30 equally spaced points can be designated as capacitance forming portions Ac. Meanwhile, by performing such average value measurements on 10 dielectric layers 111 and 10 internal electrodes 121, 122, respectively, and then measuring the average values, the average thickness td of the dielectric layers 111 and the average thickness te of the internal electrodes 121, 122 can be further generalized.

[0027] The body 110 may include a capacitance-forming portion Ac, which is disposed inside the body 110 and includes first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 alternately arranged with a dielectric layer 111 therebetween to form a capacitance, and cover portions 112 and 113, which are disposed on both sides of the capacitance-forming portion Ac facing each other in the first direction. The cover portions 112 and 113 may have a similar configuration to the dielectric layer 111, except that they do not include the internal electrodes 121 and 122.

[0028] The average thickness tc of the cover portions 112, 113 is not particularly limited. The average thickness tc of the cover portions 112, 113 can be, for example, 300 μm or less, 150 μm or less, 100 μm or less, 30 μm or less, or 20 μm or less. The average thickness tc of the cover portions 112, 113 can be, for example, 5 μm or more, 10 μm or more, or 30 μm or more. The average thickness tc of the cover portions 112, 113 refers to the average thickness of each of the first cover portion 112 and the second cover portion 113.

[0029] The average thickness tc of the cover parts 112, 113 may mean the average thickness of the cover parts 112, 113 in the first direction, and may be the average value of the thickness in the first direction measured at five points equally spaced in the second direction on the cross section of the main body 110 in the first and second directions.

[0030] The body 110 may include margin portions 114 and 115 disposed on both surfaces of the capacitance-forming portion Ac facing in the third direction. The margin portions 114 and 115 may refer to regions between both ends of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 and the boundary surface of the body 110 in a cross section of the body 110 cut in the first and third directions. The margin portions 114 and 115 may have a similar configuration to the dielectric layer 111, except that they do not include the internal electrodes 121 and 122.

[0031] The average width of the margin portions 114, 115 is not particularly limited. The average width of the margin portions 114, 115 may be, for example, 150 μm or less, 100 μm or less, 20 μm or less, or 15 μm or less. The average width of the margin portions 114, 115 may be, for example, 5 μm or more, 10 μm or more, or 30 μm or more. Here, the average width of the margin portions 114, 115 refers to the average width of each of the first margin portion 114 and the second margin portion 115.

[0032] The average width of the margin portions 114, 115 may refer to the average width of the margin portions 114, 115 in the third direction, and may be the average value of the widths in the third direction measured at five equally spaced points in the first direction on the cross-section of the body 110 in the first and third directions.

[0033] An example of a method for forming the body 110 will now be described.

[0034] First, ceramic powder is prepared for forming the dielectric layer 111. The ceramic powder may be, for example, BaTiO3, (Ba 1-x Ca x )TiO3(0 <x<1)、Ba(Ti 1-y Cay )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), CaZrO3, or (Ca 1-x Sr x )(Zr 1-y Ti y )O3 (0 < x ≦ 0.5, 0 < y ≦ 0.5). The BaTiO3 powder can be synthesized, for example, by reacting a titanium raw material such as titanium dioxide with a barium raw material such as barium carbonate. As the method for synthesizing the ceramic powder, for example, there are a solid-phase method, a sol-gel method, a hydrothermal synthesis method, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. Next, after drying and pulverizing the prepared ceramic powder, an organic solvent and a binder are mixed to produce a ceramic slurry, and then the ceramic slurry is applied and dried on a carrier film to provide a ceramic green sheet.

[0035] Next, an internal electrode conductive paste containing a metal powder, a binder, an organic solvent, etc. is printed on the ceramic green sheet at a predetermined thickness using a screen printing method or a gravure printing method to form an internal electrode pattern.

[0036] After that, the ceramic green sheet printed with the internal electrode pattern is peeled off from the carrier film, and then the ceramic green sheets printed with the internal electrode pattern are laminated and pressure-bonded by a predetermined number of layers to form a ceramic laminate. On the upper and lower parts of the ceramic laminate, ceramic green sheets without an internal electrode pattern formed can be laminated by a predetermined number of layers in order to form the cover parts 112 and 113 after firing. After that, the ceramic laminate is cut to have a predetermined chip size, and the cut chips can be fired at a temperature of 1000°C or higher and 1400°C or lower to form the main body 110. After that, a barrel polishing process can be further performed to round the corners of the main body 110.

[0037] Meanwhile, the margin portions 114 and 115 may be formed by firing regions of the ceramic green sheets where the internal electrode patterns are not printed. Alternatively, in order to suppress steps due to the internal electrodes 121 and 122, the ceramic laminate may be cut so that the internal electrode patterns are exposed on both surfaces of the cut chips in the third direction, and then margin portion-forming sheets may be attached to both surfaces of the cut chips in the third direction, followed by firing to form the margin portions 114 and 115.

[0038] The external electrodes 131 and 132 may be disposed on the body 110 and connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122. The external electrodes 131 may include a first external electrode 131 disposed on the third surface 3 and extending over portions of the first and second surfaces 1 and 2, and a second external electrode 132 disposed on the fourth surface 4 and extending over portions of the first and second surfaces 1 and 2. The first and second external electrodes 131 and 132 may also extend over portions of the fifth and sixth surfaces 5 and 6. The first external electrode 131 may be connected to the first internal electrode 121, and the second external electrode 132 may be connected to the second internal electrode 122.

[0039] The type and form of the external electrodes 131, 132 are not particularly limited, and they may have a multi-layer structure. For example, the external electrodes 131, 132 may include base electrode layers 131a, 132a in contact with the internal electrodes 121, 122, and plating layers 131b, 132b disposed on the base electrode layers 131a, 132a. That is, the first external electrode 131 may include a first base electrode layer 131a in contact with the first internal electrode 121 and a first plating layer 131b disposed on the first base electrode layer 131a, and the second external electrode 132 may include a second base electrode layer 132a in contact with the second internal electrode 122 and a second plating layer 132b disposed on the second base electrode layer 132a.

[0040] The base electrode layers 131a and 132a may be fired electrode layers containing a first material, which is a metal, and glass. The first material contained in the base electrode layers 131a and 132a may include, but is not limited to, Cu, Ni, Pd, Ag, Pb, and / or alloys containing these elements. The glass contained in the base electrode layers 131a and 132a may include, but is not limited to, one or more oxides of Ba, Ca, Zn, Al, B, and Si.

[0041] The base electrode layers 131a and 132a can be formed by dipping the body 110 into a conductive paste containing metal powder, glass frit, a binder, an organic solvent, etc., and then firing the conductive paste applied to the body 110.

[0042] Meanwhile, the base electrode layers 131a and 132a may be composed of only a first layer containing metal and glass, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the base electrode layers 131a and 132a may have a multi-layer structure. For example, the base electrode layers 131a and 132a may include a first layer containing metal and glass and a second layer disposed on the first layer and containing metal particles and resin.

[0043] The metal particles contained in the second layer may include one or more of spherical particles and flake-shaped particles. Here, the spherical particles may include particles that are not perfectly spherical, for example, particles having a length ratio of the major axis to the minor axis (major axis / minor axis) of 1.45 or less. The flake-shaped particles refer to powder having a flat and elongated shape, and are not particularly limited, but may have a length ratio of the major axis to the minor axis (major axis / minor axis) of 1.95 or more. The metal particles contained in the second layer may include, for example, Cu, Ni, Ag, Sn, Pd, Pb, and / or alloys containing these. The resin contained in the second layer may include, for example, one or more of epoxy resin, acrylic resin, and ethyl cellulose.

[0044] The second layer can be formed by applying a conductive resin composition containing metal powder, resin, binder, organic solvent, etc. onto the first layer, and then performing a curing heat treatment at a temperature of, for example, 250°C to 550°C.

[0045] The plating layers 131b and 132b can improve mounting characteristics. The plating layers 131b and 132b can include, for example, Ni, Sn, Pd, Cu, and / or alloys containing these, and can be formed of multiple layers. The plating layers 131b and 132b can be, for example, Ni plating layers or Sn plating layers, and can be formed by sequentially forming a Ni plating layer and a Sn plating layer. The plating layers 131b and 132b can also include multiple Ni plating layers and / or multiple Sn plating layers. The plating layers 131b and 132b can be formed using, for example, electrolytic plating and / or electroless plating.

[0046] Although the drawings illustrate a structure in which the multilayer electronic component 100 has two external electrodes 131 and 132, this is not limited thereto, and the number and shape of the external electrodes 131 and 132 may vary depending on the shape of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 or other purposes.

[0047] The support members 141 and 142 may be disposed on at least one of both surfaces of the body 110 facing each other in the first direction. The support members 141 and 142 may be disposed on the first and / or second surfaces 1 and 2. The support members 141 and 142 may include a first support member 141 that contacts an end of the first external electrode 131 located on the first and second surfaces 1 and 2, and a second support member 142 that contacts an end of the second external electrode 132 located on the first and second surfaces 1 and 2.

[0048] When a high voltage is applied to the multilayer electronic component 100, the body 110 may expand in a first direction due to the piezoelectric phenomenon of the dielectric layer 111. Such deformation may cause cracks in the body 110, adversely affecting the reliability of the multilayer electronic component 100. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the support members 141 and 142 are disposed on the first and / or second surfaces 1 and 2 to suppress the expansion of the body 110 and effectively disperse stress generated by the piezoelectric phenomenon of the dielectric layer 111. This improves the reliability of the multilayer electronic component 100 in a high-voltage environment. In addition, the support members 141 and 142 further seal the ends of the external electrodes 131 and 132, which are a penetration path for external moisture, thereby preventing external moisture from penetrating into the body 110.

[0049] 6, the support member 141 may have a first end E1 in contact with the external electrode 131 and a second end E2 facing the first end E1. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second end E2 may have a thickness in the first direction (hereinafter simply referred to as thickness) that is thinner than the first end E1. The support member 141 has a structure in which the second end E2 is thinner than the first end E1, which may provide a superior effect in suppressing piezoelectric expansion of the body 110 for the same cross-sectional area compared to when the thickness of the support member 141 is constant.

[0050] In one embodiment, the support member 141 may have an inclined surface P1 inclined with respect to the first direction. The inclined surface P1 of the support member 141 may effectively disperse stress generated by piezoelectric expansion of the main body 110. For example, the thickness of the support member 141 may gradually decrease from the first end E1 to the second end E2. For example, in the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the first and second directions, the support member 141 may have a triangular shape. In the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component 100 in the first and second directions, the inclined surface P1 may form a predetermined angle with the first end E1 and the lower surface of the support member 141, respectively.

[0051] However, the shape of the support member 141 is not limited thereto and may have various shapes. Figures 7 and 8 are partially enlarged views schematically illustrating a multilayer electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention, and correspond to Figure 6.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 7 , the thickness of the second end E2a of the support member 141a may be thinner than the thickness of the first end E1a. The support member 141a may have an inclined surface P1a inclined with respect to the first direction. The inclined surface P1a of the support member 141a may not contact the end of the external electrode 131. For example, in the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component in the first and second directions, the support member 141a may have a trapezoidal shape. The support member 141a may have a bottom surface P2a that contacts the main body 110 and a top surface P3a that faces the bottom surface P2a, and the bottom surface P2a may be longer in the second direction than the top surface P3a. In the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component in the first and second directions, the inclined surface P1a may form a predetermined angle with the bottom surface P2a and the top surface P3a, respectively.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 8, the thickness of the second end E2b of the support member 141b may be thinner than the thickness of the first end E1b. The support member 141b may have an inclined surface P1b inclined with respect to the first direction. The inclined surface P1b of the support member 141b may not contact the end of the external electrode 131. Unlike the second end E2, E2a of the support members 141, 141a described above, the second end E2b may have a thickness equal to or greater than a certain level. For example, in the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component in the first and second directions, the support member 141b may have a pentagonal shape. The support member 141b may have a bottom surface P2b contacting the main body 110 and a top surface P3b facing the bottom surface P2b, and the bottom surface P2b may be longer in the second direction than the top surface P3b. In the cross sections of the multilayer electronic component in the first and second directions, the inclined surface P1b can form a predetermined angle with the second end E2b and the top surface P3b, respectively.

[0054] Meanwhile, although not shown, the support members 141, 141a, 141b may have a plurality of inclined surfaces P1, P1a, P1b. In order to effectively suppress the piezoelectric expansion of the main body 110, it is preferable that the inclined surfaces P1, P1a, P1b of the support members 141, 141a, 141b are flat, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the inclined surfaces P1, P1a, P1b of the support members 141, 141a, 141b may also be concave curved surfaces.

[0055] 6 to 8 are partially enlarged views showing the first support member 141, but the first support member 141 and the second support member 142 may have substantially similar structures, with the only difference being that the first support member 141 contacts the first external electrode 131 and the second support member 142 contacts the second external electrode 132. Therefore, the description of the first support member 141 based on FIGS. 6 to 8 can be similarly applied to the second support member 142.

[0056] 2 , the maximum thickness of the first support member 141 in the first direction may be less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the first external electrode 131 in the first direction measured on the first or second surface 1, 2, and the maximum thickness of the second support member 142 in the first direction may be less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the second external electrode 132 in the first direction measured on the first or second surface 1, 2. The first support member 141 may not extend between the main body 110 and the first external electrode 131, and the second support member 142 may not extend between the main body 110 and the second external electrode 132. If the support members 141, 142 extend between the main body 110 and the external electrodes 131, 132, a secondary effect such as an increase in the overall thickness of the multilayer electronic component 100 may occur.

[0057] In addition, the end of the first external electrode 131 located on the first or second surface 1, 2 may not extend between the main body 110 and the first support member 141, and the end of the second external electrode 132 located on the first or second surface 1, 2 may not extend between the main body 110 and the second support member 142. If the ends of the external electrodes 131, 132 extend between the main body 110 and the support members 141, 142, a secondary effect such as an increase in the overall thickness of the multilayer electronic component 100 may occur.

[0058] Meanwhile, the body 110 can expand in the first direction and contract in the third direction due to the piezoelectric phenomenon of the dielectric layer 111. Therefore, the first and second support members 141 and 142 for preventing the body 110 from expanding in the first direction may not be disposed on the fifth and sixth surfaces 5 and 6.

[0059] There are no particular limitations on the material contained in the support members 141 and 142. However, in order to effectively suppress the piezoelectric expansion of the main body 110, the support members 141 and 142 may contain a second material that is stronger than the first material, which is the metal contained in the base electrode layers 131 a and 132 a.

[0060] The second material may include metal and / or ceramic. When the second material includes ceramic, the excellent strength of the support members 141 and 142 can effectively suppress expansion of the main body 110, but the brittleness of ceramic can cause the support members 141 and 142 to break when stress above a certain level is applied. On the other hand, when the second material includes metal, the excellent ductility of metal compared to ceramic can prevent the support members 141 and 142 from breaking even when stress above a certain level is applied. The second material may include, for example, one or more of a Cu-Zn alloy, a Cu-Sn alloy, Fe, Si, and W.

[0061] The method for forming the support members 141, 142 is not particularly limited. For example, the support members 141, 142 can be formed by forming a second material into the intended shape and then attaching it to the main body 110. Therefore, the support members 141, 142 can be made of the second material. For example, the support members 141, 142 can be made of metal or ceramic. Unlike the base electrode layers 131a, 132a, the support members 141, 142 are not formed by firing a conductive paste, and therefore, the support members 141, 142 can be free of glass, resin, and / or organic materials.

[0062] An adhesive layer can be disposed at the interface where the main body 110 contacts the support members 141 and 142. The adhesive layer can be, for example, a conductive and / or non-conductive tape, or can be formed by heat-treating a conductive paste. The adhesive layer can prevent the support members 141 and 142 from detaching from the main body 110.

[0063] The sizes of the support members 141 and 142 are not particularly limited. For example, referring to FIG. 4, when the length of the support member in the second direction is Ls and the distance in the second direction between the first external electrode 131 and the second external electrode 132 is Lb, 0 < Ls < 0.5×Lb can be satisfied. Also, when the width of the support member in the third direction is Ws and the width of the main body 110 in the third direction is Wb, 0 < Ws ≦ Wb can be satisfied. That is, as shown in the figure, Ws can be smaller than Wb, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the support members 141 and 142 can also be disposed over the entire third direction of the main body 110.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a laminated electronic component 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention, and is a drawing corresponding to FIG. 4.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of first and second support members 141 and 142 can be respectively arranged. The plurality of first support members 141 can be respectively arranged in the third direction, and the plurality of second support members 142 can be respectively arranged in the third direction. That is, a plurality of first and second support members 141 and 142 can be respectively arranged on the first surface 1, and a plurality of first and second support members 141 and 142 can also be respectively arranged on the second surface. FIG. 5 shows a structure in which two first and second support members 141 and 142 are respectively arranged, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of the first and second support members 141 and 142 can be appropriately selected in consideration of the width in the third direction of the main body 110 and the like without particular limitation.

[0066] (Experimental example) The COMSOL analysis program was used to investigate the degree of deformation of the stacked electronic component and the stresses applied to it due to the shape of the support member.

[0067] The sample chip used in the analysis included a main body, first and second external electrodes, and first and second support members (two support members on each of the top and bottom surfaces of the main body, for a total of four support members), and had a maximum length of 3 mm in the second direction and a maximum thickness of 2 mm in the first direction.

[0068] On the other hand, the sample chip according to the comparative example had a rectangular shape with the first end and the second end of the support member having the same thickness when viewed from the third direction. The sample chip according to the example of the present invention had a triangular shape with the second end being thinner than the first end when viewed from the third direction. On the other hand, when all of the sample chips according to the comparative example and the example were viewed from the third direction, the cross-sectional area of ​​the support member was 0.5 cm 2 Specifically, the maximum length in the second direction of the support member of the comparative example was 1 mm and the maximum thickness in the first direction was 0.5 mm, while the maximum length in the second direction of the support member of the example was 1 mm and the maximum thickness in the first direction was 1 mm.

[0069] Then, in order to hypothesize the piezoelectric expansion state of the dielectric layer that occurs when a high voltage is applied, the displacement of the support member in a first direction and the stress applied to the support member in the first direction were measured using the COMSOL analysis program when a load of 1 N was transmitted from the top and bottom surfaces of the main body to the support member.

[0070] Figure 9 is a graph showing (a) the displacement in a first direction of the support member of the comparative example and (b) the stress in the first direction applied to the support member of the comparative example, both calculated using a COMSOL analysis program, and Figure 10 is a graph showing (a) the displacement in a first direction of the support member of the example and (b) the stress in the first direction applied to the support member of the example, both calculated using a COMSOL analysis program. That is, Figures 9(a) and 10(a) show the degree of deformation at each position on the support member using only shading, while Figures 9(b) and 10(b) show the deformed shape of the support member, but also show the stress applied at each position on the support member using shading.

[0071] As a result of the COMSOL analysis, in the sample chips of the comparative example and the example, the point at which the displacement of the support member in the first direction was greatest was near the second end (the left end in the images of Figures 9(a) and 10(a)), and the point at which the stress applied to the support member in the first direction was greatest was near the first end (the right end in the images of Figures 9(b) and 10(b)).

[0072] In the comparative example, the maximum displacement of the support member in the first direction is 1.89 × 10 -7 cm, and the maximum stress applied to the support member is 15.6 N / m 2 On the other hand, in the example, the maximum displacement of the support member in the first direction was 1.48×10 -7 cm, and the maximum stress applied to the support member is 8.7 N / m 2 It was.

[0073] In other words, the embodiment has a structure in which the thickness of the second end is thinner than the thickness of the first end, and it can be confirmed that the embodiment has a superior effect in suppressing the piezoelectric expansion of the body for the same cross-sectional area compared to the comparative example in which the thickness is constant.

[0074] The present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, but is limited by the scope of the accompanying claims. Therefore, various substitutions, modifications, and changes can be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims, and these also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0075] Furthermore, the expression "one embodiment" does not mean the same embodiment as another, but is provided to emphasize and describe each unique feature that is different from the others. However, the above-described one embodiment does not exclude being realized in combination with features of another embodiment. For example, even if a feature described in one embodiment is not described in another embodiment, it can be understood as a description related to the other embodiment unless there is a description that contradicts or contradicts the feature in the other embodiment.

[0076] Furthermore, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one element from another and do not limit the order and / or importance of the elements. In some cases, a first element may be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the right. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 100, 100' Multilayer electronic component 110 Main body 111 Dielectric layer 112, 113 Cover portion 114, 115 Margin 121, 122 Internal electrode 131, 132 External electrode 131a, 132a Base electrode layer 131b, 132b plating layer 141, 142 support member

Claims

1. a body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately arranged with the dielectric layers in a first direction; an outer electrode disposed on the body and connected to the inner electrode; a support member disposed on at least one of both surfaces of the main body facing each other in the first direction, the support member has a first end portion in contact with the external electrode and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, The second end portion is thinner than the first end portion in the first direction.

2. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the support member has an inclined surface inclined with respect to the first direction.

3. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the support member in the first direction gradually decreases from the first end portion to the second end portion.

4. the external electrode includes a base electrode layer that is in contact with the internal electrode and includes a first material that is a metal; The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a second material having a strength higher than that of the first material.

5. 5. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4, wherein the second material includes one or more of a Cu-Zn alloy, a Cu-Sn alloy, Fe, Si, and W.

6. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 4 , wherein the second material includes a ceramic.

7. the main body has first and second surfaces facing each other in the first direction, third and fourth surfaces connected to the first and second surfaces and facing each other in the second direction, and fifth and sixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and facing each other in the third direction, the external electrodes include a first external electrode disposed on the third surface and extending over a portion of the first and second surfaces, and a second external electrode disposed on the fourth surface and extending over a portion of the first and second surfaces; 2. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the support members include first support members that contact ends of the first external electrodes located on the first and second surfaces, and second support members that contact ends of the second external electrodes located on the first and second surfaces.

8. a maximum thickness of the first support member in the first direction is equal to or less than a maximum thickness of the first external electrode in the first direction measured on the first or second surface, and a maximum thickness of the second support member in the first direction is equal to or less than a maximum thickness of the second external electrode in the first direction measured on the first or second surface, 8. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 7, wherein the first support member does not extend between the main body and the first external electrode, and the second support member does not extend between the main body and the second external electrode.

9. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second support members are not disposed on the fifth and sixth surfaces.

10. 8. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of the first and second support members are disposed.

11. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed at an interface where the main body and the support member are in contact with each other.

12. 2. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the external electrodes include a base electrode layer in contact with the internal electrodes, and a plating layer disposed on the base electrode layer.

13. 13. The multilayer electronic component according to claim 12, wherein the base electrode layer comprises a first layer containing metal and glass, and a second layer disposed on the first layer and containing metal particles and resin.

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