Multilayer ceramic capacitor and its mounting structure

Abstract

In the present invention, a laminated ceramic capacitor comprises a body, external electrodes, a first inspection electrode, and a second inspection electrode. The body is formed by laminating a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode on respective sides of a dielectric layer, and comprises a first surface and a second surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, and a first end surface and a second end surface. The external electrodes are positioned on each of the first surface and the second surface, and are connected to the first internal electrode. The external electrodes are positioned on each of the first surface and the second surface, and are connected to the first internal electrode. The first inspection electrode and the second inspection electrode are positioned respectively on the first end surface and the second end surface, and are connected respectively to the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a multilayer ceramic capacitor and a mounting structure thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Various multilayer ceramic capacitors have been proposed so far that are small in height and suitable for surface mounting on circuit boards (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-155953 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The multilayer ceramic capacitor of the present disclosure comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body portion formed by alternately stacking first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes with dielectric layers sandwiched therebetween in a first direction, the main body portion having first and second surfaces opposed to each other, first and second side surfaces opposed to each other in the first direction, and first end surfaces and second end surfaces opposed to each other; a first external electrode and a second external electrode located on the first surface; a third external electrode and a fourth external electrode located on the second surface; a first testing electrode and a second testing electrode located on the first end surface and the second end surface, respectively; the first internal electrode includes a first portion having a first lead portion, a second lead portion, and a first inspection lead portion; the second internal electrode includes a second portion having a third lead portion, a fourth lead portion, and a second inspection lead portion; the first lead portion and the second lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the first external electrode and the third external electrode, respectively; the third lead portion and the fourth lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode, respectively; The first inspection lead-out portion and the second inspection lead-out portion are led out to the first end surface and the second end surface, respectively, and are connected to the first inspection electrode and the second inspection electrode, respectively.

[0005] Furthermore, a mounting structure of a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to the present disclosure includes the above-described multilayer ceramic capacitor and a substrate having a mounting surface, and the multilayer ceramic capacitor is mounted on the mounting surface so that the first side surface is perpendicular to the mounting surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a side view of the multilayer ceramic capacitor of FIG. 1 as viewed from a first side surface side. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] First, a multilayer ceramic capacitor having a configuration on which the multilayer ceramic capacitor of the present disclosure is based will be described.

[0008] In a multilayer ceramic capacitor having a configuration on which the ceramic capacitor of the present disclosure is based, external electrodes are located on the upper and lower surfaces of the body, which has a reduced height, and therefore it is difficult to reliably bring the probes of an electrical characteristic evaluation device into contact with the external electrodes when evaluating characteristics such as capacitance, insulation resistance, etc. This has sometimes made it difficult to accurately determine whether a multilayer ceramic capacitor is good or bad and to efficiently produce highly reliable multilayer ceramic capacitors.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the multilayer ceramic capacitor and mounting structure of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings referred to below are schematic, and the dimensional ratios and the like shown in the drawings are not necessarily accurately depicted. In addition, in this specification, for convenience, a Cartesian coordinate system XYZ is defined.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line III-III in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line IV-IV in Fig. 1. Note that Fig. 1 omits internal electrodes located inside the main body, and Fig. 2 omits external electrodes located on the surface of the main body. Fig. 3 shows a cross section parallel to the first end face and the second end face, and Fig. 4 shows a cross section parallel to the first side face and the second side face.

[0011] The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 2, a first external electrode 7a, a second external electrode 8a, a third external electrode 7b, a fourth external electrode 8b, a first testing electrode 9a, and a second testing electrode 9b. Hereinafter, the first external electrode 7a, the second external electrode 8a, the third external electrode 7b, and the fourth external electrode 8b may be collectively referred to as the external electrodes 7, 8. Furthermore, the first testing electrode 9a and the second testing electrode 9b may be collectively referred to as the testing electrodes 9.

[0012] The main body 2 is configured to include a first internal electrode 3, a second internal electrode 4, and a dielectric layer 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the first internal electrodes 3 and the second internal electrodes 4 are alternately stacked in a first direction (the X direction shown in Figs. 1 and 2) with the dielectric layer 5 sandwiched therebetween. Hereinafter, the first internal electrodes 3 and the second internal electrodes 4 may be collectively referred to as the internal electrodes 3, 4.

[0013] The first internal electrode 3 and the second internal electrode 4 are made of a conductive material and may be made of a metal material such as Ni (nickel), Cu (copper), Ag (silver), Sn (tin), Pt (platinum), Pd (palladium), Au (gold), or an alloy material containing these metal materials.

[0014] The dielectric layer 5 is made of an insulating material. The dielectric layer 5 may be made of a dielectric material (ceramic material) such as BaTiO3 (barium titanate), CaTiO3 (calcium titanate), SrTiO3 (strontium titanate), or BaZrO3 (barium zirconate) as a main component. In this specification, the term "main component" refers to the component with the highest concentration (mol %) in the material, member, etc. of interest.

[0015] The main component of the dielectric layer 5 may be a high-dielectric-constant material. The high-dielectric-constant material may be, for example, a perovskite-type ferroelectric material containing the above-mentioned dielectric material. The dielectric layer 5 may contain a rare earth element such as Y (yttrium), Dy (dysprosium), Ho (holmium), Ga (gadolinium), or Tb (terbium).

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a first surface 2a and a second surface 2b that face each other, a first side surface 2c and a second side surface 2d that face each other, and a first end surface 2e and a second end surface 2f that face each other. The first side surface 2c and the second side surface 2d are perpendicular to a first direction (X direction) and face each other in the first direction. The first end surface 2e and the second end surface 2f are perpendicular to a second direction (Y direction) and face each other in the second direction. The first surface 2a and the second surface 2b are perpendicular to a third direction (Z direction) and face each other in the third direction. The first direction is also referred to as the stacking direction or height direction. The second direction and the third direction are also referred to as the length direction and height direction, respectively. Furthermore, the first side surface 2c and the second side surface 2d may be collectively referred to as side surfaces 2c and 2d, and the first end surface 2e and the second end surface 2f may be collectively referred to as end surfaces 2e and 2f.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the side surfaces 2c and 2d of the main body 2 are formed with side cover portions 6. This protects the first internal electrode 3 and the second internal electrode 4 from the external environment. The side cover portions 6 may be formed with one or more dielectric layers. The dielectric layers forming the side cover portions 6 may have the same composition, dimensions, etc. as the dielectric layer 5.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the first internal electrode 3 includes a first portion 31. The first portion 31 includes a first lead portion 31a, a second lead portion 31b, and a first inspection lead portion 31c. The first lead portion 31a is extended to the first surface 2a, and the second lead portion 31b is extended to the second surface 2b. The first inspection lead portion 31c is extended to the first end surface 2e.

[0019] 2, the first portion 31 includes a first capacitance forming portion 31d. The first lead-out portion 31a, the second lead-out portion 31b, and the first inspection lead-out portion 31c extend from the first capacitance forming portion 31d.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2, the second internal electrode 4 includes a second portion 41. The second portion 41 includes a third lead portion 41a, a fourth lead portion 41b, and a second inspection lead portion 41c. The third lead portion 41a is extended to the first surface 2a, and the fourth lead portion 41b is extended to the second surface 2b. The second inspection lead portion 41c is extended to the second end surface 2f.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the second portion 41 includes a second capacitance forming portion 41d. The third lead portion 41a, the fourth lead portion 41b, and the second inspection lead portion 41c extend from the second capacitance forming portion 41d. When viewed from the first direction (stacking direction), the first capacitance forming portion 31d and the second capacitance forming portion 41d overlap each other. When a potential difference exists between the first capacitance forming portion 31d and the second capacitance forming portion 41d, a capacitance is generated in the dielectric layer 5 sandwiched between the first capacitance forming portion 31d and the second capacitance forming portion 41d.

[0022] The first external electrode 7a and the second external electrode 8a are located on the first surface 2a. As shown in FIG. 3, the first external electrode 7a connects the multiple first lead portions 31a to each other. The first external electrode 7a is located so as to cover the multiple first lead portions 31a. The second external electrode 8a, like the first external electrode 7a shown in FIG. 3, connects the multiple third lead portions 41a to each other. The second external electrode 8a is located so as to cover the multiple third lead portions 41a.

[0023] The third external electrode 7b and the fourth external electrode 8b are located on the second surface 2b. As shown in FIG. 3, the third external electrode 7b connects the plurality of second lead portions 31b to one another. The third external electrode 7b is located so as to cover the plurality of second lead portions 31b. The fourth external electrode 8b connects the plurality of fourth lead portions 41b to one another, similar to the third external electrode 7b shown in FIG. 3. The fourth external electrode 8b is located so as to cover the plurality of fourth lead portions 41b.

[0024] The external electrodes 7, 8 may be composed of one or more conductive layers. The first conductive layer in contact with the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b (i.e., connected to the internal electrodes 3, 4) may be formed using a thin-film formation technique such as plating, sputtering, or vapor deposition, or a thick-film formation technique such as screen printing or gravure printing. The second conductive layer, the third conductive layer, etc. located on the first conductive layer may be formed using a thin-film formation technique such as electrolytic plating. The first conductive layer may be composed of a metal material such as Ni, Cu, Ag, Pd, or Au, or an alloy material containing these metal materials or these metal materials. The second conductive layer, the third conductive layer, etc. may be composed of a metal material such as Ni, Cu, Au, or Sn.

[0025] The first inspection electrode 9a is located on the first end surface 2e. The first inspection electrode 9a connects the multiple first inspection lead portions 31c to each other. The first inspection electrode 9a is located so as to cover the multiple first inspection lead portions 31c. The second inspection electrode 9b is located on the second end surface 2f. The second inspection electrode 9b connects the multiple second inspection lead portions 41c to each other. The second inspection electrode 9b is located so as to cover the multiple second inspection lead portions 41c. The inspection electrode 9, like the external electrodes 7 and 8, may be composed of one or more conductive layers.

[0026] The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 of this embodiment has a testing electrode 9 provided separately from the external electrodes 7 and 8, and the testing electrode 9 is located on the end faces 2e and 2f where the external electrodes 7 and 8 are not located. Therefore, even if the main body 2 is made thinner (i.e., the length between the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b is shortened), it is possible to easily bring the two probes of the testing device into contact with the first testing electrode 9a and the second testing electrode 9b. As a result, it is possible to reliably bring the probes of the electrical characteristic evaluation device into contact with the external electrodes. This in turn makes it possible to accurately determine whether the multilayer ceramic capacitor is good or bad, and efficiently produce highly reliable multilayer ceramic capacitors.

[0027] The first internal electrode 3 may include a first dummy portion 32 electrically isolated from the first portion 31. The first dummy portion 32 may include a first dummy lead portion 32a and a second dummy lead portion 32b.

[0028] The first dummy lead portion 32a may be extended to the first surface 2a. The first dummy lead portion 32a may be connected to the second external electrode 8a. In this case, the connection strength between the main body portion 2 and the second external electrode 8a can be increased, and as a result, the reliability of the electrical connection between the second internal electrode 4 and the second external electrode 8a can be improved.

[0029] The second dummy lead portion 32b may be extended to the second surface 2b. The second dummy lead portion 32b may be connected to the fourth external electrode 8b. In this case, the connection strength between the main body portion 2 and the fourth external electrode 8b can be increased, and as a result, the reliability of the electrical connection between the second internal electrode 4 and the fourth external electrode 8b can be improved.

[0030] The first dummy lead portion 32a may overlap the third lead portion 41a when viewed in the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, as shown in Fig. 1, the second external electrode 8a can be formed in a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction in the first direction (X direction), and the width of the second external electrode 8a in the second direction (Y direction) can be reduced. As a result, the second external electrode 8a can be easily formed, and the risk of leakage current occurring between the second external electrode 8a and another external electrode having a polarity different from that of the second external electrode 8a can be reduced.

[0031] The second dummy lead portion 32b may overlap the fourth lead portion 41b when viewed from the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, as shown in Fig. 1, the fourth external electrode 8b can be formed into a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction in the first direction (X direction), and the width of the fourth external electrode 8b in the second direction (Y direction) can be reduced. As a result, the fourth external electrode 8b can be easily formed. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the fourth external electrode 8b and another external electrode having a polarity different from that of the fourth external electrode 8b.

[0032] The second internal electrode 4 may include a second dummy portion 42 electrically isolated from the second portion 41. The second dummy portion 42 may include a third dummy lead portion 42a and a fourth dummy lead portion 42b.

[0033] The third dummy lead portion 42a may be extended to the first surface 2a. The third dummy lead portion 42a may be connected to the first external electrode 7a. In this case, the connection strength between the main body portion 2 and the first external electrode 7a can be increased, and as a result, the reliability of the electrical connection between the first internal electrode 3 and the first external electrode 7a can be improved.

[0034] The fourth dummy lead portion 42b may be extended to the second surface 2b. The fourth dummy lead portion 42b may be connected to the third external electrode 7b. In this case, the connection strength between the main body portion 2 and the third external electrode 7b can be increased, and as a result, the reliability of the electrical connection between the first internal electrode 3 and the third external electrode 7b can be improved.

[0035] The third dummy lead portion 42a may overlap the first lead portion 31a when viewed in the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the first external electrode 7a can be formed into a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction in the first direction (X direction), and the width of the first external electrode 7a in the second direction (Y direction) can be reduced. As a result, the first external electrode 7a can be easily formed. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the first external electrode 7a and another external electrode having a polarity different from that of the first external electrode 7a.

[0036] The fourth dummy lead portion 42b may overlap the second lead portion 31b when viewed from the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the third external electrode 7b can be formed into a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction in the first direction (X direction), and the width of the third external electrode 7b in the second direction (Y direction) can be reduced. As a result, the third external electrode 7b can be easily formed. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the third external electrode 7b and another external electrode having a polarity different from that of the third external electrode 7b.

[0037] The first external electrode 7a and the third external electrode 7b may be located near the first end face 2e, which can reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the first external electrode 7a and the third external electrode 7b and the second testing electrode 9b, which has a polarity different from that of the first external electrode 7a and the third external electrode 7b.

[0038] The second external electrode 8a and the fourth external electrode 8b may be located closer to the second end face 2f, which can reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the second external electrode 8a and the fourth external electrode 8b and the first testing electrode 9a, which has a polarity different from that of the second external electrode 8a and the fourth external electrode 8b.

[0039] When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface 2a, the first external electrode 7a and the third external electrode 7b may overlap, and the second external electrode 8a and the fourth external electrode 8b may overlap. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the first internal electrode 3 and the second internal electrode 4 can each be symmetrical with respect to a line L1 that passes through the centroid C1 of the side surfaces 2c and 2d and extends in the longitudinal direction (Y direction). As a result, when manufacturing the main body 2, it is possible to reduce warping of the main body 2 due to the difference in firing shrinkage between the metal or alloy material that forms the internal electrodes 3 and 4 and the ceramic material that forms the dielectric layer 5. This in turn makes it possible to improve the connection reliability between the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 and an external substrate.

[0040] The testing electrode 9 may have an effective height H in the height direction (Z direction) of 30% to 90% of the height T of the main body 2 (i.e., the distance between the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b) (see FIG. 5 ). If the effective height H is less than 30% of the height T, it may be difficult to contact the probe of an electrical characteristic evaluation device with the testing electrode 9. If the effective height H exceeds 90% of the height T, leakage current may occur between the testing electrode 9 and the external electrodes 7 and 8, preventing accurate evaluation of characteristics such as capacitance and insulation resistance. By setting the effective height H to 30% to 90% of the height T, it is possible to easily and accurately evaluate the characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1. If the effective height H is 80% or less of the height T, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the yield of the pre-fired laminate due to cutting misalignment. If the effective height H is 70% or less of the height T, it is possible to prevent delamination after firing due to adhesion of marginal portions.

[0041] 5, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 may be configured such that the centroid C2 of the inspection electrode 9 and the centroid C3 of the end faces 2e, 2f are substantially aligned when viewed in the length direction (Y direction). In this case, it becomes easier to bring the probe of the electrical characteristic evaluation device into contact with the inspection electrode 9, and therefore the characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 can be evaluated with higher accuracy.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 may further include a fifth external electrode 7c and a sixth external electrode 8c located on the first surface 2a, and a seventh external electrode 7d and an eighth external electrode 8d located on the second surface 2b. As shown in FIG. 2, the first portion 31 of the first internal electrode 3 may further include a fifth lead portion 31e extending to the first surface 2a and a sixth lead portion 31f extending to the second surface 2b. As shown in FIG. 2, the second portion 41 of the second internal electrode 4 may further include a seventh lead portion 41e extending to the first surface 2a and an eighth lead portion 41f extending to the second surface 2b. The fifth lead portion 31e and the sixth lead portion 31f may be connected to the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d, respectively. The seventh lead portion 41e and the eighth lead portion 41f may be connected to the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d, respectively. By further providing the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 with the fifth external electrode 7c, the sixth external electrode 8c, the seventh external electrode 7d, and the eighth external electrode 8d, the degree of freedom in the manner of connection between the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 and an external substrate can be increased.

[0043] The first dummy portion 32 of the first internal electrode 3 may further include a fifth dummy lead 32c extending to the first surface 2a and a sixth dummy lead 32d extending to the second surface 2b. The fifth dummy lead 32c and the sixth dummy lead 32d may be connected to the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d, respectively. In this case, the connection strength between the main body 2 and the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the electrical connection between the second internal electrode 4 and the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d. The fifth dummy lead 32c and the sixth dummy lead 32d may overlap the seventh lead 41e and the eighth lead 41f, respectively, when viewed in the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, it becomes easier to form the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d, and it is possible to reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d and other external electrodes having a polarity different from that of the sixth external electrode 8c and the eighth external electrode 8d.

[0044] The second dummy portion 42 of the second internal electrode 4 may further include a seventh dummy lead 42c extending to the first surface 2a and an eighth dummy lead 42d extending to the second surface 2b. The seventh dummy lead 42c and the eighth dummy lead 42d may be connected to the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d, respectively. In this case, the connection strength between the main body 2 and the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d can be increased, thereby improving the reliability of the electrical connection between the first internal electrode 3 and the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d. The seventh dummy lead 42c and the eighth dummy lead 42d may overlap the fifth lead 31e and the seventh lead 41e, respectively, when viewed in the stacking direction (X direction). In this case, it becomes easier to form the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d, and it is possible to reduce the risk of leakage current occurring between the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d and other external electrodes having a polarity different from that of the fifth external electrode 7c and the seventh external electrode 7d.

[0045] 4, the second internal electrode 4 may have a shape obtained by folding back the first internal electrode 3 about a straight line L2 that passes through the centroid C1 of the side surfaces 2c and 2d and extends in the height direction (Z direction). In this case, when the main body 2 is produced, it becomes possible to efficiently form ceramic green sheets on which electrode patterns that become the internal electrodes 3 and 4 are printed.

[0046] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 will be described.

[0047] First, a powder containing a dielectric material such as BaTiO3, CaTiO3, or SrTiO3, or a mixture thereof, as a main component, is prepared as the material for the dielectric layer 5. An organic vehicle is added to the powder to prepare a ceramic slurry. Next, a ceramic green sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a green sheet) is produced using a sheet forming method such as a doctor blade method or a die coater method. The thickness of the green sheet may be, for example, about 0.5 to 10 μm.

[0048] Next, a conductive paste is prepared using a powder mainly composed of a metal material such as Ni, Cu, Ag, or a mixture thereof as the material for the first internal electrode 3 and the second internal electrode 4. Subsequently, using the prepared conductive paste, a first pattern sheet is formed on the main surface of a green sheet, on which an electrode pattern that will become the first internal electrode 3 is printed, and a second pattern sheet is formed on the main surface of a green sheet, on which an electrode pattern that will become the second internal electrode 4 is printed. For printing the electrode patterns, a printing method such as screen printing or gravure printing can be used.

[0049] Next, a predetermined number of first pattern sheets and second pattern sheets are alternately stacked on top of a predetermined number of stacked ceramic green sheets, and then a predetermined number of ceramic green sheets are stacked on top of that to create a temporary laminate. Next, the temporary laminate is pressed in the stacking direction to obtain a base laminate. The pressing of the laminate can be performed, for example, using an isostatic press. The base laminate is cut at desired positions to produce element parts that will become the main body 2. Next, the element parts are degreased in air, an inert gas, or a reducing atmosphere, and then fired in a reducing atmosphere. The firing temperature may be, for example, approximately 1100 to 1300°C. Next, a re-oxidation treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere. The element parts after the re-oxidation treatment are placed in a pot containing abrasive powder, polishing media, etc., and rotated and polished to remove corners and burrs from the element parts, thereby obtaining the main body 2.

[0050] The external electrodes 7 and 8 are formed on the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b of the obtained main body 2, the first testing electrode 9a is formed on the first end surface 2e, and the second testing electrode 9b is formed on the second end surface 2f, thereby manufacturing the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1. The external electrodes 7 and 8 and the testing electrode 9 can be formed using the thin film formation technology or thick film formation technology described above.

[0051] Next, a mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 6 is a side view showing the mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6.

[0052] The mounting structure 100 of this embodiment includes a multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 and a substrate 10. The substrate 10 has a mounting surface 10a. As shown in Fig. 6, the substrate 10 has at least one first substrate electrode 11a and at least one second substrate electrode 11b located on the mounting surface 10a. An electric circuit to which the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 is electrically connected may be located on the mounting surface 10a.

[0053] The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 10a so that the side surfaces 2c and 2d are perpendicular to the mounting surface 10a. In other words, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 is mounted on the mounting surface 10a so that the first internal electrode 3 and the second internal electrode 4 are perpendicular to the mounting surface 10a, as shown in FIG.

[0054] In the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1, at least one of the first external electrode 7a, the third external electrode 7b, the fifth external electrode 7c, and the seventh external electrode 7d is electrically connected to the first substrate electrode 11a, and at least one of the second external electrode 8a, the fourth external electrode 8b, the sixth external electrode 8c, and the eighth external electrode 8d is electrically connected to the second substrate electrode 11b. The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 may be mounted on the substrate 10, for example, by joining the first external electrode 7a and the second external electrode 8a to the first substrate electrode 11a and the second substrate electrode 11b, respectively, via a conductive bonding material 12. Examples of the conductive bonding material 12 that can be used include solder and brazing filler metal.

[0055] The multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 may be mounted on the substrate 10, for example, by electrically connecting the first external electrode 7a and the third external electrode 7b to the two first substrate electrodes 11a, respectively, and electrically connecting the second external electrode 8a and the fourth external electrode 8b to the two second substrate electrodes 11b, respectively. In this case, the first external electrode 7a and the second external electrode 8a may be joined to the first substrate electrode 11a and the second substrate electrode 11b, respectively, via a conductive bonding material 12. The third external electrode 7b and the fourth external electrode 8b may be electrically connected to the first substrate electrode 11a and the second substrate electrode 11b, respectively, via connecting members such as bonding wires.

[0056] When the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 includes the first external electrode 7a, the second external electrode 8a, the fifth external electrode 7c, and the sixth external electrode 8c, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 may be mounted on the mounting surface 10a by bonding the first external electrode 7a and the fifth external electrode 7c to two first substrate electrodes 11a, respectively, and bonding the second external electrode 8a and the sixth external electrode 8c to two second substrate electrodes 11b, as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, at least one of the third external electrode 7b and the fifth external electrode 7c may be electrically connected to the other first substrate electrode 11a via a connecting member. Furthermore, at least one of the fourth external electrode 8c and the sixth external electrode 8d may be electrically connected to the other second substrate electrode 11b via a connecting member.

[0057] The mounting structure 100 includes the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1, and therefore is a highly reliable mounting structure. [Example]

[0058] A large number of multilayer ceramic capacitors 1 shown in Figures 1 to 4 were manufactured as multilayer ceramic capacitors of the example. The main body 2 was formed by laminating 800 dielectric layers 5, each 1.2 ± 0.1 μm thick, with a height (distance between the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b) T of 0.6 ± 0.1 mm, a width (distance between the first side surface 2c and the second side surface 2d) W of 2.0 ± 0.2 mm, and a length (distance L between the first end surface 2e and the second end surface 2f) of 4.0 ± 0.2 mm. The capacitance and leakage current of a large number of multilayer ceramic capacitors 1 were measured using an electrical characteristic evaluation device. Assuming that the characteristic tolerance was within ±15% and that the leakage current distribution followed a normal distribution, those whose deviation from the average leakage current was within ±3σ (σ is the standard deviation) were deemed to be non-defective.

[0059] Furthermore, a large number of comparative multilayer ceramic capacitors were manufactured in the same manner as in the example, except that they did not include the inspection electrode 9, the first inspection lead portion 31c, and the second inspection lead portion 41c. The capacitance of the comparative multilayer ceramic capacitors was manually measured using an LCR meter, and those satisfying a characteristic tolerance of ±15% were determined to be good products.

[0060] One hundred good multilayer ceramic capacitors of the example and one hundred good multilayer ceramic capacitors of the comparative example were cut and the cross sections were observed to check for the presence or absence of internal defects. As a result, no internal defects were found in the 100 good multilayer ceramic capacitors of the example, but internal defects were found in five of the 100 good multilayer ceramic capacitors of the comparative example. This demonstrates that the provision of the test electrode 9 in the multilayer ceramic capacitor of the example allows accurate determination of its quality. Therefore, the multilayer ceramic capacitor 1 of the present disclosure makes it possible to efficiently produce highly reliable multilayer ceramic capacitors.

[0061] The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to the present disclosure can have the following embodiments (1) to (7).

[0062] (1) A substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body portion formed by alternately stacking first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes with dielectric layers sandwiched therebetween in a first direction, the main body portion having first and second surfaces facing each other, first and second side surfaces facing each other in the first direction, and first end surfaces facing each other; a first external electrode and a second external electrode located on the first surface; a third external electrode and a fourth external electrode located on the second surface; a first testing electrode and a second testing electrode located on the first end surface and the second end surface, respectively; the first internal electrode includes a first portion having a first lead portion, a second lead portion, and a first inspection lead portion; the second internal electrode includes a second portion having a third lead portion, a fourth lead portion, and a second inspection lead portion; the first lead portion and the second lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the first external electrode and the third external electrode, respectively; the third lead portion and the fourth lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode, respectively; a multilayer ceramic capacitor, wherein the first inspection lead-out portion and the second inspection lead-out portion are led out to the first end face and the second end face, respectively, and are connected to the first inspection electrode and the second inspection electrode, respectively.

[0063] (2) The first internal electrode further includes a first dummy portion electrically isolated from the first portion, the second internal electrode further includes a second dummy portion electrically isolated from the second portion, the first dummy portion includes a first dummy lead portion extending to the first surface and a second dummy lead portion extending to the second surface, the second dummy portion includes a third dummy lead portion extending to the first surface and a fourth dummy lead portion extending to the second surface, the first dummy lead portion and the second dummy lead portion are connected to the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode, respectively; The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to (1) above, wherein the third dummy lead portion and the fourth dummy lead portion are connected to the first external electrode and the second external electrode, respectively.

[0064] (3) The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to (2) above, wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first side surface, the first lead portion and the third dummy lead portion overlap, and the second lead portion and the fourth dummy lead portion overlap.

[0065] (4) A multilayer ceramic capacitor according to (2) or (3) above, wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first side surface, the third lead portion and the first dummy lead portion overlap, and the fourth lead portion and the second dummy lead portion overlap.

[0066] (5) The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the first external electrode and the third external electrode are located near the first end face, and the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode are located near the second end face.

[0067] (6) The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface, the first external electrode and the third external electrode overlap, and the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode overlap.

[0068] (7) The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the dimensions of the first testing electrode and the second testing electrode in a direction perpendicular to the first surface are 30% or more and 90% or less of the distance between the first surface and the second surface.

[0069] The mounting structure according to the present disclosure can be embodied in the following modes (8) and (9).

[0070] (8) A multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of (1) to (7) above, a substrate having a mounting surface, The multilayer ceramic capacitor is mounted on the mounting surface so that the first side surface is perpendicular to the mounting surface.

[0071] (9) The substrate has a first substrate electrode and a second substrate electrode located on the mounting surface, The mounting structure of the multilayer ceramic capacitor according to (8) above, wherein the first external electrode and the second external electrode of the multilayer ceramic capacitor are joined to the first substrate electrode and the second substrate electrode, respectively, via a conductive bonding material.

[0072] According to the multilayer ceramic capacitor of the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently manufacture a multilayer ceramic capacitor with excellent reliability. Furthermore, since the mounting structure of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned multilayer ceramic capacitor, it can be a mounting structure with excellent reliability.

[0073] The above describes in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications, improvements, etc. are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0074] The present disclosure can be implemented in various other forms without departing from its spirit or main features. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims and is not limited by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1. Multilayer ceramic capacitors 2 Main body 2a 1st page 2b 2nd side 2c 1st side 2d second side 2e 1st end face 2f 2nd end face 3 1st internal electrode 31 Part 1 31a 1st drawer 31b 2nd drawer 31c First inspection drawer 31d 1st capacitance forming part 31e 5th drawer 31f 6th drawer 32 First dummy part 32a First dummy drawer 32b Second dummy drawer 32c 5th dummy drawer 32d 6th dummy drawer 4 Second internal electrode 41 Part 2 41a 3rd drawer 41b 4th drawer 41c Second inspection drawer 41d Second capacitance forming section 41e 7th drawer 41f 8th drawer 42 Second dummy part 42a Third dummy drawer 42b 4th dummy drawer 42c 7th dummy drawer 42d No. 8 dummy drawer 5 Dielectric Layer 6 Side cover 7,8 External electrode 7a 1st external electrode 7b Third external electrode 7c 5th external electrode 7d 7th external electrode 8a 2nd external electrode 8b 4th external electrode 8c 6th external electrode 8d 8th external electrode 9 Testing electrodes 9a First inspection electrode 9b Second inspection electrode 10 Substrate 10a Mounting surface 11a 1st substrate electrode 11b 2nd substrate electrode 12 Conductive bonding material 100 Mounting Structure

Claims

1. a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body portion formed by alternately stacking first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes with dielectric layers sandwiched therebetween in a first direction, the main body portion having first and second surfaces opposing each other, first and second side surfaces opposing each other in the first direction, and first and second end surfaces opposing each other; a plurality of external electrodes including a first external electrode and a second external electrode located on the first surface, and a third external electrode and a fourth external electrode located on the second surface; a first testing electrode and a second testing electrode located on the first end surface and the second end surface, respectively; the first internal electrode includes a first portion having a first lead portion, a second lead portion, and a first inspection lead portion; the second internal electrode includes a second portion having a third lead portion, a fourth lead portion, and a second inspection lead portion; the first lead portion and the second lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the first external electrode and the third external electrode, respectively; the third lead portion and the fourth lead portion are led out to the first surface and the second surface, respectively, and connected to the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode, respectively; the first inspection lead-out portion and the second inspection lead-out portion are led out to the first end surface and the second end surface, respectively, and are connected to the first inspection electrode and the second inspection electrode, respectively; Among the plurality of external electrodes, the external electrode located closest to the first testing electrode is connected to the first internal electrode. Multilayer ceramic capacitor.

2. Among the plurality of external electrodes, the external electrode located closest to the second testing electrode is connected to the second internal electrode. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1 .

3. the first internal electrode further includes a first dummy portion electrically isolated from the first portion, the second internal electrode further includes a second dummy electrode electrically isolated from the second portion, the first dummy portion includes a first dummy lead portion extending to the first surface and a second dummy lead portion extending to the second surface, the second dummy portion includes a third dummy lead portion extending to the first surface and a fourth dummy lead portion extending to the second surface, the first dummy lead portion and the second dummy lead portion are connected to the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode, 3. The capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the third dummy lead portion and the fourth dummy lead portion are connected to the first external electrode and the third external electrode, respectively.

4. 4. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 3, wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first side surface, the first lead portion and the third dummy lead portion overlap, and the second lead portion and the fourth dummy lead portion overlap.

5. 5. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 3, wherein when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first side surface, the third lead portion and the first dummy lead portion overlap, and the fourth lead portion and the second dummy lead portion overlap.

6. 6. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the first external electrode and the third external electrode are located near the first end surface, and the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode are located near the second end surface.

7. 7. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface, the first external electrode and the third external electrode overlap, and the second external electrode and the fourth external electrode overlap.

8. 8. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the first testing electrode and the second testing electrode in a direction perpendicular to the first surface are 30% or more and 90% or less of a distance between the first surface and the second surface.

9. The first portion further includes a first capacitance forming portion, the second portion further includes a second capacitance forming portion, a dimension of the first inspection drawer in a direction perpendicular to the first surface is the same as a dimension of the first capacitance forming portion in the direction perpendicular to the first surface; 9. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the second inspection drawer portion in a direction perpendicular to the first surface is the same as a dimension of the second capacitance forming portion in a direction perpendicular to the first surface.

10. The multilayer ceramic capacitor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a substrate having a mounting surface, The multilayer ceramic capacitor is mounted on the mounting surface so that the first side surface is perpendicular to the mounting surface.

11. the substrate has a first substrate electrode and a second substrate electrode located on the mounting surface; 11. The mounting structure of a multilayer ceramic capacitor according to claim 10, wherein the first external electrode and the second external electrode of the multilayer ceramic capacitor are joined to the first substrate electrode and the second substrate electrode, respectively, via a conductive bonding material.

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