Ceramic Capacitor Electrode Recesses for Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reducing the thickness of external electrodes in multi-layer ceramic capacitors while preventing disconnection and insulation failures, which is challenging due to the use of low viscosity conductive pastes that can lead to gaps and peeling at corners, compromising reliability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating recesses at the corners of the ceramic body to ensure the external electrodes remain connected, with the electrodes entering these recesses to maintain thickness and prevent disconnection, even when made thin, and using materials with different sintering properties to form these recesses during the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the electrical conductive paste is made thin to reduce external electrode thickness, then the area for internal electrodes is enlarged, but the base films may be disconnected at the corners and gaps may generate between the body and base films
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a protective coating layer on the base film before the plating process. This coating layer is applied in advance to prevent disconnection and gap formation during subsequent manufacturing steps, particularly at the corners where the paste is thinnest and most vulnerable.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating layer acts as an intermediary between the base film and the plating solution. It mediates the interaction by providing a barrier that prevents the plating solution from causing disconnection or gap formation, while still allowing the external electrodes to form properly.
2Quantity of substance
If the external electrode thickness is reduced to increase capacity, then the capacitor capacity increases, but moisture infiltration may occur through gaps causing insulation failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of thin paste layers (which create vulnerabilities) into a benefit by applying a protective coating that specifically addresses the corner regions. The coating transforms the weak points into strengthened areas, preventing moisture infiltration while maintaining the thin electrode design for high capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating is applied with local quality in mind, focusing particularly on the corner regions where the paste is thinnest and most susceptible to disconnection and moisture infiltration. This localized protection ensures that the critical vulnerable areas are reinforced without adding unnecessary thickness elsewhere.
3Reliability
If dummy electrodes are exposed to prevent external electrode disconnection, then connection reliability improves, but the production process becomes complicated and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protective function from the complex dummy electrode system and consolidates it into a single protective coating layer applied directly to the base film. This eliminates the need for separate dummy electrodes while maintaining the reliability benefit, thereby simplifying the production process and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating merges multiple functions into a single layer: it prevents base film disconnection, prevents gap formation, and protects against moisture infiltration. This consolidation replaces the need for separate dummy electrodes and their associated complex processes, achieving the same reliability improvement with greater simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for the reduction of external electrode thickness without compromising reliability, preventing disconnection and insulation failures, and simplifies the production process while maintaining the capacitor's performance.
Implementation Method 1
performing plating on base films obtained when an electrical conductive paste applied to the body of the multi-layer ceramic capacitor is baked
Implementation Method 2
The external electrodes are provided by, for example, performing plating on base films
Implementation Method 3
using materials with different sintering properties to form these recesses during the manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic electronic component includes a body, a first external electrode, and a second external electrode. The body includes a first end surface and a second end surface that face each other, surfaces each extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, an outer edge that is provided along the surfaces and includes recesses, the recesses extending from the first end surface and the second end surface along ridges of the surfaces, and a functional unit that is disposed inward relative to the outer edge. The first external electrode and the second external electrode respectively cover the first end surface and the second end surface and extend to come close to each other from the first end surface and the second end surface along the surfaces and the recesses.