Mechanism for measuring characteristics of electronic components, manufacturing apparatus for electronic components including the same, and method for measuring characteristics of electronic components

Abstract

This reduces the occurrence of defective measurements of the characteristics of electronic components. [Solution] The device comprises a plurality of measurement terminal groups, each having a plurality of measurement terminals and capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of an electronic component, a measurement unit 230 electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups that are in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and measuring the characteristics of the electronic component, and a voltage generation unit electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups, wherein the tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface FT facing the outer surface of the external electrode that it is in contact with, and in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups, a voltage is applied between the measurement terminals by the voltage generation unit to cause discharge.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanism for measuring characteristics of electronic components, an electronic component manufacturing apparatus including the same, and a method for measuring characteristics of electronic components. [Background technology]

[0002] A prior art document disclosing the configuration of a taping device for electronic components is Hei 4-177891 (Patent Document 1). In the taping device for electronic components described in Patent Document 1, a parts feeder, a continuity tester, and a taping unit are provided around an intermittently rotating turntable, in that order, in the direction of rotation of the turntable. The continuity tester has probes that come into contact with the external electrodes of the electronic components. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 4-177891 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a characteristic measurement mechanism for electronic components, if the tip of a measurement terminal deteriorates due to wear or if foreign matter accumulates on the tip of the measurement terminal due to repeated use, electrical conductivity between the measurement terminal and the external electrode of the electronic component may become difficult to establish, which may result in poor measurement of the characteristics of the electronic component.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an electronic component characteristic measurement mechanism that can suppress the occurrence of measurement errors in the characteristics of electronic components, an electronic component manufacturing apparatus equipped with the same, and an electronic component characteristic measurement method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the present invention includes a plurality of measurement terminal groups, a measurement unit, and a voltage generation unit. Each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups has a plurality of measurement terminals, each capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component. The measurement unit is electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups that are in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, respectively, and measures the characteristics of the electronic component. The voltage generation unit is electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups. The tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface that faces the outer surface of the external electrode that it contacts. In each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups, the voltage generation unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals to cause discharge. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of measurement errors in the characteristics of electronic components. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an electronic component according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 1 as seen from the direction of the arrows along line II-II. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 1 as seen from the direction of the arrows along line III-III. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of an electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the periphery of the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism of FIG. 4, as viewed from the direction of the VV line arrow. [Figure 6] 6 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a plurality of measurement terminals and external electrodes of an electronic component as viewed from the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a plurality of measurement terminals and external electrodes of an electronic component in a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a first region and a second region of a Sn layer formed on a flat surface. [Figure 9]10 is a graph showing the relationship between drive time and drive speed when a measurement terminal is driven by a piezoelectric element. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a circuit configuration of a characteristic measuring mechanism for an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a discharge phenomenon occurs between measurement terminals. [Figure 13] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a characteristic measuring mechanism for an ultrasonic electronic component according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism, an electronic component manufacturing apparatus including the same, and an electronic component characteristic measuring method according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiments, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings will be given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) First, the configuration of the electronic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the electronic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of Fig. 1, seen from the direction of the arrows along line II-II. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of Fig. 1, seen from the direction of the arrows along line III-III. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the electronic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a multilayer ceramic capacitor 100. Figs. 1 to 3 show the length direction L of the laminate, the width direction W of the laminate, and the lamination direction T of the laminate, which will be described later.

[0011] 1 to 3, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a laminate 110, a first external electrode 120, and a second external electrode 130. The laminate 110 includes a plurality of dielectric layers 140 and a plurality of internal electrode layers 150 alternately stacked along a stacking direction T.

[0012] The laminate 110 includes a first main surface 111 and a second main surface 112 that face each other in a stacking direction T, a first side surface 113 and a second side surface 114 that face each other in a width direction W that is perpendicular to the stacking direction T, and a first end surface 115 and a second end surface 116 that face each other in a length direction L that is perpendicular to both the stacking direction T and the width direction W. The first external electrode 120 is provided on the first end surface 115. The second external electrode 130 is provided on the second end surface 116.

[0013] The multiple internal electrode layers 150 include multiple first internal electrode layers 151 connected to the first external electrode 120, and multiple second internal electrode layers 152 connected to the second external electrode 130. Although Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show an example in which five first internal electrode layers 151 and five second internal electrode layers 152 are provided, the number of each of the first internal electrode layers 151 and the second internal electrode layers 152 is not limited to five.

[0014] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the laminate 110 is divided into an inner layer portion C, a first outer layer portion X1, a second outer layer portion X2, a first side margin portion S1, a second side margin portion S2, a first end margin portion E1, and a second end margin portion E2.

[0015] The inner layer portion C has capacitance due to the opposing portions of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 being stacked in the stacking direction T. The first outer layer portion X1 is located on the first main surface 111 side of the inner layer portion C in the stacking direction T. The second outer layer portion X2 is located on the second main surface 112 side of the inner layer portion C in the stacking direction T.

[0016] The first side margin S1 is located on the first side surface 113 side of the inner layer portion C in the width direction W. The second side margin S2 is located on the second side surface 114 side of the inner layer portion C in the width direction W. The first end margin E1 is located on the first end surface 115 side of the inner layer portion C in the length direction L. The second end margin E2 is located on the second end surface 116 side of the inner layer portion C in the length direction L.

[0017] It is preferable that the corners and ridges of the laminate 110 are rounded. Here, a corner is a portion where three faces of the laminate 110 intersect, and a ridge is a portion where two faces of the laminate 110 intersect.

[0018] The thickness of the dielectric layer 140 located in the inner layer portion C is, for example, 0.3 μm or more and 0.8 μm or less. The thickness of the first outer layer portion X1 and the thickness of the second outer layer portion X2 are, for example, 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less. The width of the first side margin portion S1 and the width of the second side margin portion S2 are, for example, 0.1 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less. The length of the first end margin portion E1 and the length of the second end margin portion E2 are, for example, 0.2 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. The thickness of the dielectric layer 140 located in the inner layer portion C, the thickness of the first outer layer portion X1 and the thickness of the second outer layer portion X2, and the length of the first end margin portion E1 and the length of the second end margin portion E2 are dimensions at the center position in the width direction W of the laminate 110. The width of the first side margin portion S1 and the width of the second side margin portion S2 are each dimensions at the center position in the length direction L of the laminate 110.

[0019] Each of the plurality of dielectric layers 140 contains, as a main component, dielectric particles with a perovskite structure such as BaTiO3, CaTiO3, SrTiO3, or CaZrO3. Each of the plurality of dielectric layers 140 may contain, in addition to the main component, a minor component in a content less than that of the main component, such as at least one of a Si compound, a Mg compound, a Mn compound, an Fe compound, a Cr compound, a Ni compound, and a Co compound.

[0020] The first internal electrode layer 151 includes a counter electrode portion facing the second internal electrode layer 152, and a lead electrode portion drawn from the counter electrode portion to a first end surface 115 of the laminate 110. The second internal electrode layer 152 includes a counter electrode portion facing the first internal electrode layer 151, and a lead electrode portion drawn from the counter electrode portion to a second end surface 116 of the laminate 110.

[0021] Each of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 contains one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd and Au, or an alloy containing the metal. Each of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 may further contain dielectric particles having the same composition as the ceramic contained in the dielectric layer 140. Furthermore, Sn may be present at the interface between each of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 and the dielectric layer 140.

[0022] The thickness of each of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 is, for example, 0.3 μm or more and 0.8 μm or less. The number of the internal electrode layers 150 including the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 is, for example, 10 or more and 1000 or less.

[0023] Here, the thickness of each of the dielectric layer 140, the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 can be measured by the following method.

[0024] First, a surface defined by the stacking direction T and width direction W of the laminate 110, i.e., a surface perpendicular to the length direction L of the laminate 110, is exposed by grinding, and the exposed cross section is observed under a scanning electron microscope. Next, the thickness of the dielectric layer 140 is measured on a center line along the stacking direction T that passes through the center of the exposed cross section, and two lines drawn equally spaced on either side of this center line, for a total of five lines. The average of these five measurements is defined as the thickness of the dielectric layer 140.

[0025] The thickness of each of the first internal electrode layer 151 and the second internal electrode layer 152 can also be measured using a scanning electron microscope on the same cross section as the cross section where the thickness of the dielectric layer 140 was measured, using a method similar to the method for measuring the thickness of the dielectric layer 140.

[0026] The first external electrode 120 is formed over the entire first end face 115 of the laminate 110, and is formed so as to extend from the first end face 115 to the first main face 111, the second main face 112, the first side face 113, and the second side face 114. The first external electrode 120 is electrically connected to the first internal electrode layer 151.

[0027] The second external electrode 130 is formed over the entire second end face 116 of the laminate 110, and is formed so as to extend from the second end face 116 to the first main face 111, the second main face 112, the first side face 113, and the second side face 114. The second external electrode 130 is electrically connected to the second internal electrode layer 152.

[0028] The first external electrode 120 and the second external electrode 130 each include, for example, a base electrode layer and a plating layer disposed on the base electrode layer. The base electrode layer includes at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a baked electrode layer, a resin electrode layer, and a thin-film electrode layer.

[0029] The baked electrode layer is a layer containing glass and metal, and may be a single layer or multiple layers. The baked electrode layer is made of, for example, one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd, and Au, or an alloy containing this metal, such as an alloy of Ag and Pd.

[0030] The baked electrode layer is formed by applying and baking a conductive paste containing glass and metal to the laminate 110. Baking may be performed simultaneously with or after firing the laminate 110. The maximum thickness of the baked electrode layer is, for example, not less than 20 μm and not more than 70 μm.

[0031] The resin electrode layer can be formed, for example, as a layer containing conductive particles and a thermosetting resin. When forming the resin electrode layer, the resin electrode layer may be formed directly on the laminate without forming a baked electrode layer. The resin electrode layer may be a single layer or multiple layers. The maximum thickness of the resin electrode layer is, for example, 20 μm or more and 70 μm or less.

[0032] The thin-film electrode layer is, for example, a layer of 1 μm or less in thickness in which metal particles are deposited, and can be formed by a known thin-film forming method such as sputtering or vapor deposition.

[0033] The plating layer disposed on the base electrode layer is composed of, for example, one metal selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni, Sn, Pb, Au, Ag, Pd, Bi, and Zn, or an alloy containing such a metal, such as an alloy of Ag and Pd. The plating layer may be a single layer or multiple layers. However, the plating layer preferably has a two-layer structure with a Sn plating layer formed on a Ni plating layer. The Ni plating layer functions to prevent the base electrode layer from being eroded by solder when mounting the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100. The Sn plating layer functions to improve the wettability of the solder when mounting the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100. When the internal electrode layer is formed of Ni, the first plating layer is preferably composed of Cu, which has good bonding properties with Ni. The plating layer preferably does not contain glass. The proportion of metal per unit volume of the plating layer is preferably 99% by volume or more. The plating layer is formed by columnar crystal grains growing along the thickness direction of the plating layer. The thickness of each plating layer is preferably 1 μm or more and 15 μm or less.

[0034] The dimension of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 in the length direction L is, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 3.2 mm or less. The dimension of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 in the stacking direction T is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 1.6 mm or less. The dimension of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 in the width direction W is, for example, 0.05 mm or more and 1.6 mm or less. The above numerical values ​​indicate the range of nominal dimensions excluding tolerances.

[0035] The electronic component is not limited to a capacitor. When a piezoelectric ceramic is used, the electronic component functions as a piezoelectric component. When a semiconductor ceramic is used, the electronic component functions as a thermistor. When a magnetic ceramic is used, the electronic component functions as an inductor. However, in the case of an inductor, the internal electrode is made of a coil-shaped conductor.

[0036] Next, the configuration of an electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to embodiment 1 of the present invention and an electronic component manufacturing apparatus equipped with the same will be described. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the periphery of the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism of Fig. 4, as seen from the direction of the VV line arrow. Fig. 4 does not show a cover, which will be described later.

[0037] 4 and 5, electronic component manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200, conveying mechanism 60, and packaging mechanism 90. Electronic component manufacturing apparatus 1 further includes ball feeder 10, linear feeder 20, and appearance sorting mechanism 80.

[0038] Multilayer ceramic capacitors 100, which are electronic components, are fed into a bowl feeder 10 from a hopper (not shown). A sensor capable of measuring the quantity of the fed multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 is provided in the bowl feeder 10. A linear feeder 20 is connected to the outlet of the bowl feeder 10. The ball feeder 10 discharges the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 one by one into the linear feeder 20.

[0039] The linear feeder 20 conveys the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 to the conveying mechanism 60 by vibration. A magnet may be placed midway along the linear feeder 20, and the magnetic force of the magnet may be applied to the internal electrodes of the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 to change the orientation of the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100. In this case, the orientations of the multiple multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 conveyed by the linear feeder 20 can be aligned.

[0040] The transport mechanism 60 includes a planar stage 30, a rotor 40, and a cover 50. The planar stage 30 has a disk-like shape. The top surface of the planar stage 30 is positioned horizontally. The planar stage 30 is made of an insulating material such as zirconia or glass epoxy. The planar stage 30 is fixed. The rotor 40 is rotatably disposed on the planar stage 30.

[0041] The rotor 40 has a disk-like shape with recesses 40p formed at equal intervals around its periphery. The recesses 40p serve as accommodation portions for the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100. The rotor 40 rotates intermittently in one direction about a central axis S. As a result, the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 accommodated in the recesses 40p are intermittently transported on the planar stage 30 in the circumferential direction of the central axis S. In other words, the transport mechanism 60 transports electronic components on the planar stage 30. The rotor 40 is made of an insulating material such as zirconia or glass epoxy.

[0042] A cover 50 is placed on the rotor 40. The cover 50 has a disk shape. The cover 50 is made of an insulating material such as zirconia or glass epoxy. The cover 50 prevents the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 housed in the recess 40p from popping out upward. The cover 50 does not need to cover the entire rotor 40, and may cover only a portion of the rotor 40. When images are taken with a camera in the appearance sorting mechanism 80, a portion of the cover 50 may be made of transparent glass to enable imaging.

[0043] On the transport path of the transport mechanism 60, an electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200, a visual sorting mechanism 80, and a packaging mechanism 90 are arranged in this order. The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 measures the characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100. The characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 include, for example, capacitance, insulation resistance, and inductance. Note that the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 and the visual sorting mechanism 80 do not necessarily have to be arranged in this order.

[0044] The appearance sorting mechanism 80 performs an appearance inspection of the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100. Specifically, the appearance sorting mechanism 80 inspects the external shape and external dimensions of the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 and checks for the presence or absence of abnormalities such as chips or cracks.

[0045] Packaging mechanism 90 packages only multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 that have been determined to be non-defective based on the measurements made by electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 and the inspection results made by visual sorting mechanism 80. That is, packaging mechanism 90 packages electronic components whose characteristics have been measured by a measuring unit (described later) of electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200. Note that a discharge mechanism (not shown) disposed between packaging mechanism 90 and visual sorting mechanism 80 removes defective electronic components from recesses 40p.

[0046] In this embodiment, the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 are packaged in a state in which they are accommodated in pockets 91h provided in the long tape 91 in the packaging mechanism 90. However, the multilayer ceramic capacitors 100 may be packaged in a case in a loose state in the packaging mechanism 90.

[0047] 5, the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 includes a plurality of measurement terminal groups, a measuring section 230, and a voltage generating section. The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 further includes a driving section .

[0048] Each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups has a plurality of measurement terminals, each of which can contact a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component. In this embodiment, the characteristic measuring mechanism 200 for electronic components includes a first measurement terminal group 210 and a second measurement terminal group 220, but the number of measurement terminal groups is not limited to two and varies depending on the number of external electrodes of the electronic component.

[0049] The first measurement terminal group 210 has a first measurement terminal 211 and a second measurement terminal 212. That is, the first measurement terminal group 210 is composed of a pair of measurement terminals. However, the number of measurement terminals included in the first measurement terminal group 210 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0050] The second measurement terminal group 220 has a first measurement terminal 221 and a second measurement terminal 222. That is, the second measurement terminal group 220 is composed of a pair of measurement terminals. However, the number of measurement terminals included in the second measurement terminal group 220 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0051] The tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface FT facing the outer surface of the corresponding external electrode among the plurality of external electrodes. In this embodiment, each of the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 has a flat surface FT facing the lower surface of the first external electrode 120. Each of the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 has a flat surface FT facing the lower surface of the second external electrode 130.

[0052] The entire tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals may be a flat surface FT, or only a portion of the tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals may be a flat surface FT. For example, the center of the tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals may be a flat surface FT, and the peripheral portion may be tapered.

[0053] The thickness of each of the multiple measurement terminals is, for example, 10 μm or more and 0.5 mm or less. The above-mentioned thickness dimension represents the diameter if the measurement terminal is cylindrical, and represents the length of one side if the measurement terminal is prismatic. The length of each of the multiple measurement terminals is, for example, 100 mm or more and 1000 mm or less. The distance between measurement terminals within a measurement terminal group is, for example, 10 μm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

[0054] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between multiple measurement terminals and external electrodes of an electronic component as viewed from the direction of arrow VI in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 6, in this embodiment, first measurement terminal 211 and second measurement terminal 212 are positioned at intervals in width direction W. First measurement terminal 221 and second measurement terminal 222 are positioned at intervals in width direction W.

[0055] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between multiple measurement terminals and external electrodes of an electronic component in a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is shown as viewed from the same direction as Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 7, in the modified example, first measurement terminal 211 and second measurement terminal 212 are positioned at intervals from each other in the length direction L. First measurement terminal 221 and second measurement terminal 222 are positioned at intervals from each other in the length direction L.

[0056] In comparison with the modified example, in this embodiment, the measurement terminals in the measurement terminal group are arranged along the width direction W of the electronic component, which makes it possible to make the measurement terminals thicker while ensuring a sufficient distance between them, thereby improving the strength and wear resistance of the measurement terminals.

[0057] The measuring terminal is made of a highly conductive metal such as tungsten, iron, or copper. For environmental reasons, it is preferable that the measuring terminal does not contain beryllium. A Sn layer may also be formed on the flat surface FT.

[0058] 8 is a plan view showing the first and second regions of the Sn layer formed on the flat surface FT. When the Sn layer is formed on the flat surface FT, as will be described later, the composition of the Sn layer differs between the first region R1 located in the center of the flat surface FT and the second region R2 located on the periphery of the flat surface FT due to discharge at the tip of the measurement terminal.

[0059] Specifically, the Sn layer in the first region R1 contains 5% to 8% by mass of oxygen, while the Sn layer in the second region R2 contains 10% to 20% by mass of oxygen. That is, the Sn layer in the first region R1 has a higher Sn mass percentage than the Sn layer in the second region R2. The Sn layer in the second region R2 contains more tin oxide than the Sn layer in the first region R1. When the main component of the measurement probe is tungsten, tungsten is also detected as a component in the Sn layer, but the proportion of tungsten is low in the second region R2 and high in the first region R1. The composition of the Sn layer can be measured using SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscope energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). The above content percentages are values ​​measured at an acceleration voltage of 15 kV and a magnification of 150x.

[0060] An end of each of the plurality of measurement terminals is electrically connected to a corresponding voltage generating unit. In this embodiment, an end of each of the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 is electrically connected to the first voltage generating unit 240A. An end of each of the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 is electrically connected to the second voltage generating unit 240B. That is, the voltage generating unit is electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups. Specifically, the first voltage generating unit 240A is electrically connected to the first measurement terminal group 210. The second voltage generating unit 240B is electrically connected to the second measurement terminal group 220.

[0061] The driving unit 70 causes at least one measurement terminal in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to protrude from the planar stage 300 toward the electronic component. The planar stage 30 has a through-hole that penetrates in the vertical direction at a position corresponding to the measurement terminal.

[0062] In this embodiment, the driving unit 70 moves the first measurement terminal group 210 and the second measurement terminal group 220 together in the up and down direction. However, the driving unit 70 may be configured to independently drive at least one measurement terminal of the first measurement terminal group 210 and at least one measurement terminal of the second measurement terminal group 220.

[0063] The first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 are protruded from the planar stage 300 by the driving unit 70, and come into contact with the first external electrode 120. Before being driven by the driving unit 70, the tips of the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 are located below the upper surface of the planar stage 300.

[0064] The first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 are protruded from the planar stage 300 by the driving unit 70, and come into contact with the second external electrode 130. Before being driven by the driving unit 70, the tips of the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 are located below the upper surface of the planar stage 300.

[0065] In this embodiment, the driving unit 70 includes, as a driving source, a piezoelectric element that mechanically deforms in response to the application of an electric field. Fig. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between driving time and driving speed when the measurement terminal is driven by the piezoelectric element. In Fig. 9, the vertical axis represents driving speed, and the horizontal axis represents driving time.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 9, when the drive source of the drive unit 70 is a piezoelectric element, there is a region F where the drive speed is approximately constant. Therefore, by setting the measurement terminal to abut against the external electrode in region F, the measurement terminal can be caused to collide with the external electrode at a constant speed, thereby preventing the electronic component from being subjected to a load. However, the drive source of the drive unit 70 is not limited to a piezoelectric element and may be a solenoid valve. In this case, the drive unit 70 can be configured at a lower cost than when the drive source is a piezoelectric element.

[0067] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an electronic component characteristic measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 10, a voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals in each of a plurality of measurement terminal groups. In this embodiment, a first voltage generating unit 240A applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 in the first measurement terminal group 210. A second voltage generating unit 240B applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 in the second measurement terminal group 220. The voltage applied between the measurement terminals by the voltage generating unit is 20 V or more and 10,000 V or less. The voltage applied between the measurement terminals by the voltage generating unit may be 20 V or more and 50 V or less. A discharge phenomenon occurs when the voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals. The voltage application time by the voltage generating unit is preferably 1 ms or more and 100 ms or less.

[0068] The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 according to this embodiment further includes a switching unit 250 that electrically connects each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to the measurement unit 230 and the voltage generating unit by alternately switching between them. The switching unit 250 may be provided inside the voltage generating unit or outside the voltage generating unit.

[0069] The switching unit 250 includes a first switch 251 that alternately switches between the measurement unit 230 and the first voltage generating unit 240A to electrically connect the first measurement terminal group 210, and a second switch 252 that alternately switches between the measurement unit 230 and the second voltage generating unit 240B to electrically connect the second measurement terminal group 220.

[0070] When the first switch 251 is connected to the first terminal 253, the first measurement terminal group 210 is electrically connected to the first voltage generating unit 240A. When the first switch 251 is connected to the second terminal 255, the first measurement terminal group 210 is electrically connected to the measuring unit 230.

[0071] When the second switch 252 is connected to the first terminal 254, the second measurement terminal group 220 is electrically connected to the second voltage generating unit 240B. When the second switch 252 is connected to the second terminal 256, the second measurement terminal group 220 is electrically connected to the measuring unit 230.

[0072] As described above, when the voltage generating unit applies a voltage, the measuring unit 230 is separated from the closed circuit by the switching unit 250 and is not affected by the applied voltage. Furthermore, the voltage applied from the voltage generating unit is applied between the measurement terminals in the measurement terminal group, and is not applied between the first external electrode 120 and the second external electrode 130, so that the voltage is prevented from damaging the electronic components or changing their characteristics.

[0073] The voltage generating unit has terminals for sending and receiving electrical signals, which are connected to an IC inside the voltage generating unit. The electrical signals include, for example, a signal for triggering the measurement terminal, a signal for indicating the timing of measurement by the measuring unit, a switching signal to the switching unit 250, etc.

[0074] The measuring unit 230 is electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups, each of which is in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and measures the characteristics of the electronic component. In this embodiment, the measuring unit 230 measures the capacitance, insulation resistance, or inductance of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100.

[0075] Here, the operation of the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 and the method for measuring the characteristics of an electronic component according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] First, the voltage generating unit is electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups by the switching unit 250. Next, as shown in Fig. 11, in the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism 200 according to this embodiment, when at least one measurement terminal is caused to protrude from the planar stage 30 toward the electronic component by the driving unit 70, the voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals including this measurement terminal (step S1).

[0077] In this embodiment, when the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212 are protruded from the planar stage 30 toward the first external electrode 120, the first voltage generating unit 240A applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212. When a dielectric breakdown occurs between the first external electrode 120 and each of the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212, a discharge phenomenon occurs between the outer surface of the first external electrode 120 and the flat surface FT of each of the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212.

[0078] Similarly, when the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 are protruded from the planar stage 30 toward the second external electrode 130, the second voltage generating unit 240B applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222. When a dielectric breakdown occurs between each of the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222 and the second external electrode 130, a discharge phenomenon occurs between the outer surface of the second external electrode 130 and the flat surface FT of each of the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222.

[0079] The discharge phenomenon described above can remove foreign matter that has accumulated on the flat surface FT of the measurement terminal. If the foreign matter is an oxide film, the oxide film can be removed or reduced to become conductive. The first region R1 and second region R2 of the Sn layer described above are formed by the discharge phenomenon. That is, in the Sn layer of the first region R1, at least a portion of the tin oxide is removed by the discharge phenomenon, or at least a portion of the tin oxide is reduced to tin.

[0080] Next, the switching unit 250 electrically connects the measuring unit 230 to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups (step S2). In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the first measurement terminal 211 in contact with the first external electrode 120 and the first measurement terminal 221 in contact with the second external electrode 130 are electrically connected to the measuring unit 230.

[0081] Next, the characteristics of the electronic component are measured by the measuring unit 230 (step S3). That is, after the voltage generation unit applies a voltage, the measuring unit 230 measures the characteristics of the electronic component. This allows the characteristics of the electronic component to be measured by bringing the measuring terminal into contact with the external electrode of the electronic component with any foreign matter removed from the tip of the measuring terminal, thereby preventing the occurrence of measurement failures of the characteristics of the electronic component. After the measurement is completed, the driving unit 70 separates the measuring terminal from the external electrode.

[0082] If a discharge phenomenon can be generated, the voltage may be applied by the voltage generating unit after the measurement terminals come into contact with the external electrodes, or before the measurement terminals are driven.

[0083] When the distance between the measurement terminals to which a voltage is applied is, for example, 10 μm or less, a discharge phenomenon may be generated between the measurement terminals. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a discharge phenomenon is generated between the measurement terminals. When the distance between the measurement terminals to which a voltage is applied is short, as shown in Fig. 12, a voltage may be applied between the measurement terminals by a voltage generating unit when the multiple measurement terminals are not protruding from the planar stage 30 toward the electronic component, thereby generating a discharge between the measurement terminals.

[0084] Since discharges tend to occur at the tips of the measuring terminals, foreign matter accumulated on the flat surfaces FT of the measuring terminals can be removed even when discharges are generated between the measuring terminals without using an external electrode, as shown in Figure 12.

[0085] (Experimental example) The characteristics of one million multilayer ceramic capacitors were measured in both cases, using a voltage generating unit and not using a voltage generating unit, and the incidence of measurement failures was compared.

[0086] The experimental conditions were as follows: the length direction L of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 was 0.6 mm, the width direction W was 0.3 mm, and the stacking direction T was 0.3 mm. The diameter of the measurement terminal was 0.05 mm. The distance between the first measurement terminal and the second measurement terminal was 20 μm. The voltage applied by the voltage generation unit was 30 V. The voltage application time was 50 ms.

[0087] When the voltage generator was not used, 0.7% of measurements were incorrect, whereas when the voltage generator was used, no measurements were incorrect.

[0088] From the above experimental results, it was confirmed that the electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can improve production efficiency.

[0089] (Embodiment 2) Hereinafter, an electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The ultrasonic electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention in the arrangement of the measurement terminals, and therefore, description of the configuration that is the same as the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention will not be repeated.

[0090] 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a characteristic measuring mechanism for an ultrasonic electronic component according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, which is shown in the same cross-section as FIG.

[0091] As shown in Figure 13, in the characteristic measurement mechanism for an ultrasonic electronic component according to embodiment 2 of the present invention, the group of multiple measurement terminals includes a first measurement terminal and a second measurement terminal arranged opposite the first measurement terminal with the electronic component sandwiched therebetween.

[0092] In this embodiment, the first measurement terminal group includes a first measurement terminal 211 and a second measurement terminal 212 that is arranged opposite the first measurement terminal 211 with the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 sandwiched therebetween. The first measurement terminal 211 is fixed to the cover 50.

[0093] The second measurement terminal group includes a first measurement terminal 221 and a second measurement terminal 222 that is arranged opposite to the first measurement terminal 221 with the multilayer ceramic capacitor 100 sandwiched therebetween. The first measurement terminal 221 is fixed to the cover 50.

[0094] The driving unit 70 causes the first measurement terminal or the second measurement terminal to protrude from the planar stage 30 toward the electronic component. In this embodiment, the driving unit 70 causes the second measurement terminal 212 to protrude toward the first external electrode 120. The driving unit 70 causes the second measurement terminal 222 to protrude toward the second external electrode 130.

[0095] The first measurement terminal 211 has a flat surface FT facing the upper surface of the first external electrode 120. The second measurement terminal 212 has a flat surface FT facing the lower surface of the first external electrode 120. The first measurement terminal 221 has a flat surface FT facing the upper surface of the second external electrode 130. The second measurement terminal 222 has a flat surface FT facing the lower surface of the second external electrode 130.

[0096] The second measurement terminal 212 is caused to protrude from the planar stage 300 by the driving unit 70, and thereby comes into contact with the first external electrode 120. The second measurement terminal 212 further pushes up the first external electrode 120, and thereby the first measurement terminal 211 comes into contact with the first external electrode 120.

[0097] The second measurement terminal 222 is caused to protrude from the planar stage 300 by the driving unit 70, and thereby comes into contact with the second external electrode 130. The second measurement terminal 222 further pushes up the second external electrode 130, and the first measurement terminal 221 comes into contact with the second external electrode 130.

[0098] In this embodiment, when the second measurement terminal 212 is protruded from the planar stage 30 toward the first external electrode 120, the first voltage generator 240A applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 211 and the second measurement terminal 212. When a dielectric breakdown occurs between the first measurement terminal 211 and the first external electrode 120, a discharge phenomenon occurs between the outer surface of the first external electrode 120 and the flat surface FT of the first measurement terminal 211.

[0099] Similarly, when the second measurement terminal 222 is protruded from the planar stage 30 toward the second external electrode 130, the second voltage generator 240B applies a voltage between the first measurement terminal 221 and the second measurement terminal 222. When a dielectric breakdown occurs between the first measurement terminal 221 and the second external electrode 130, a discharge phenomenon occurs between the outer surface of the second external electrode 130 and the flat surface FT of the first measurement terminal 221.

[0100] The discharge phenomenon described above can remove foreign matter that has accumulated on the flat surface FT of the measurement terminal. Next, the first measurement terminal 211 in contact with the first external electrode 120 and the first measurement terminal 221 in contact with the second external electrode 130 are electrically connected to the measurement unit 230, which then measures the characteristics of the electronic component.

[0101] In this embodiment, the first measurement terminal 211 and the first measurement terminal 221 are arranged on the cover 50 side, and the second measurement terminal 212 and the second measurement terminal 222 are arranged on the planar stage 30 side, so that the arrangement density of multiple measurement terminals can be reduced and the measurement terminals can be made thicker to improve the strength and wear resistance of the measurement terminals.

[0102] (Addendum) It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are examples of the following aspects.

[0103] <1> a plurality of measurement terminal groups each having a plurality of measurement terminals and capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component; a measurement unit electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups, each of which is in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and configured to measure characteristics of the electronic component; a voltage generating unit electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups, a tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface facing an outer surface of the corresponding external electrode among the plurality of external electrodes, A characteristic measuring mechanism for an electronic component, wherein the voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to cause discharge.

[0104] <2> a switching unit that alternately switches between the measurement unit and the voltage generating unit and electrically connects each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to the measurement unit, <1> A characteristic measuring mechanism for the electronic component described in

[0105] <3> Each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups is composed of a pair of measurement terminals. <1> or <2> A characteristic measuring mechanism for the electronic component described in

[0106] <4> The voltage applied between the measurement terminals is 20 V or more and 10,000 V or less. <1> from <3> 10. A characteristic measuring mechanism for an electronic component according to claim 1,

[0107] <5> <1> from <4> a characteristic measuring mechanism for the electronic component according to any one of the above items; a transport mechanism having a planar stage and transporting the electronic component on the planar stage; a packaging mechanism that packages the electronic components whose characteristics have been measured by the measurement unit, An electronic component manufacturing apparatus, wherein the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism further includes a drive unit that causes at least one measurement terminal in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to protrude from the planar stage toward the electronic component.

[0108] <6> the group of measurement terminals includes a first measurement terminal and a second measurement terminal arranged opposite to the first measurement terminal with the electronic component interposed therebetween; the drive unit causes the first measurement terminal or the second measurement terminal to protrude from the planar stage toward the electronic component. <5> The manufacturing apparatus for the electronic component according to claim 1.

[0109] <7> The drive unit includes a solenoid valve. <5> or <6> The manufacturing apparatus for the electronic component according to claim 1.

[0110] <8> The driving unit includes a piezoelectric element. <5> or <6> The manufacturing apparatus for the electronic component according to claim 1.

[0111] <9> After the voltage is applied by the voltage generating unit, the measuring unit measures the characteristics of the electronic component. <5> from <8> 10. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electronic component manufacturing apparatus is a

[0112] <10> When the at least one measurement terminal is protruded toward the electronic component by the driving unit, a voltage is applied between the measurement terminals including the at least one measurement terminal by the voltage generating unit, and a discharge is caused between an outer surface of the external electrode and a flat surface of the measurement terminal. <9> The manufacturing apparatus for the electronic component according to claim 1.

[0113] <11> When the plurality of measurement terminals are not protruding from the planar stage toward the electronic component, a voltage is applied between the measurement terminals by the voltage generating unit, and a discharge is caused between the measurement terminals. <9> The manufacturing apparatus for the electronic component according to claim 1.

[0114] <12> a plurality of measurement terminal groups each having a plurality of measurement terminals and capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component; a measurement unit electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups, each of which is in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and configured to measure characteristics of the electronic component; a voltage generating unit electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups; a tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface facing an outer surface of the corresponding external electrode among the plurality of external electrodes, A method for measuring characteristics of an electronic component, comprising: applying a voltage between the measurement terminals of each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups by the voltage generating unit to cause discharge.

[0115] In the above-described embodiments, configurations that can be combined may be combined with each other.

[0116] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1 Electronic component manufacturing apparatus, 10 ball feeder, 20 linear feeder, 30 planar stage, 40 rotor, 40p recess, 50 cover, 60 conveying mechanism, 70 drive unit, 80 appearance sorting mechanism, 90 packaging mechanism, 91 tape, 91h pocket, 100 multilayer ceramic capacitor, 110 laminate, 111 first main surface, 112 second main surface, 113 first side surface, 114 second side surface, 115 first end surface, 116 second end surface, 120 first external electrode, 130 second external electrode, 140 dielectric layer, 150 internal electrode layer, 151 first internal electrode layer, 152 second internal electrode layer, 200 characteristic measurement mechanism, 210 first measurement terminal group, 211 first measurement terminal, 212 second measurement terminal, 220 second measurement terminal group, 221 first measurement terminal, 222 Second measuring terminal, 230 measuring unit, 240A first voltage generating unit, 240B second voltage generating unit, 250 switching unit, 251 first switch, 252 second switch, 253 first terminal, 254 first terminal, 255 second terminal, 256 second terminal, 300 flat stage, C inner layer portion, E1 first end margin portion, E2 second end margin portion, FT flat surface, R1 first region, R2 second region, S central axis, S1 first side margin portion, S2 second side margin portion, X1 first outer layer portion, X2 second outer layer portion.

Claims

1. a plurality of measurement terminal groups each having a plurality of measurement terminals and capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component; a measurement unit electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups, each of which is in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and configured to measure characteristics of the electronic component; a voltage generating unit electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups, a tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface facing an outer surface of the corresponding external electrode among the plurality of external electrodes, A characteristic measuring mechanism for an electronic component, wherein the voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to cause discharge.

2. 2. The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a switching unit that alternately switches between said measuring unit and said voltage generating unit to electrically connect each of said plurality of measurement terminal groups.

3. 3. The apparatus for measuring characteristics of electronic components according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of measurement terminal groups is composed of a pair of measurement terminals.

4. 2. The apparatus for measuring characteristics of electronic components according to claim 1, wherein the voltage applied between the measurement terminals is 20 V or more and 10,000 V or less.

5. The electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism according to claim 1 ; a transport mechanism having a planar stage and transporting the electronic component on the planar stage; a packaging mechanism that packages the electronic components whose characteristics have been measured by the measurement unit, The electronic component manufacturing apparatus, wherein the electronic component characteristic measuring mechanism further includes a drive unit that causes at least one measurement terminal in each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups to protrude from the planar stage toward the electronic component.

6. the group of the plurality of measurement terminals includes a first measurement terminal and a second measurement terminal arranged opposite to the first measurement terminal with the electronic component interposed therebetween, The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the drive unit causes the first measurement terminal or the second measurement terminal to protrude from the planar stage toward the electronic component.

7. 7. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving unit includes a solenoid valve.

8. 7. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving unit includes a piezoelectric element.

9. 6. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the measuring section measures characteristics of the electronic component after the voltage is applied by the voltage generating section.

10. 10. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when the at least one measurement terminal is caused to protrude toward the electronic component by the drive unit, the voltage generation unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals including the at least one measurement terminal, thereby discharging between the outer surface of the external electrode and the flat surface of the measurement terminal.

11. 10. The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the plurality of measurement terminals are not protruding from the planar stage toward the electronic component, the voltage generating unit applies a voltage between the measurement terminals, causing discharge between the measurement terminals.

12. a plurality of measurement terminal groups each having a plurality of measurement terminals and capable of contacting a plurality of external electrodes of the electronic component; a measurement unit electrically connected between the plurality of measurement terminal groups, each of which is in contact with at least two of the plurality of external electrodes, and configured to measure characteristics of the electronic component; a voltage generating unit electrically connected to each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups; a tip of each of the plurality of measurement terminals has a flat surface facing an outer surface of the corresponding external electrode among the plurality of external electrodes, A method for measuring characteristics of an electronic component, comprising: applying a voltage between the measurement terminals of each of the plurality of measurement terminal groups by the voltage generating unit to cause discharge.

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