Thin Film Capacitor Terminal Electrode Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin film capacitors face reliability issues due to reduced solder fixing force and unstable mounting posture caused by smaller terminal electrodes, leading to potential dropping or interference with other components.
Innovation Solution
A thin film capacitor design featuring a lower electrode, dielectric film, upper electrode, and stepped protective films with through holes for terminal electrodes, which increases the surface area of the terminal electrodes without increasing the capacitor's size, allowing for improved solder contact and stable mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the terminal electrode area is reduced to minimize capacitor size, then the capacitor footprint is smaller, but the solder fixing force decreases and mounting stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the terminal electrode vertically along the side surface of the capacitor using a conductive protective film that wraps around the capacitor body. This transforms the terminal electrode from a two-dimensional planar structure to a three-dimensional structure that utilizes vertical space, thereby increasing the effective solder contact area without increasing the capacitor's horizontal footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive protective film is formed to cover both the upper surface and the side surface of the capacitor, creating a nested structure where the terminal electrode is embedded within the protective film layers. This nested configuration allows the terminal electrode to extend along the side surface while being protected and supported by the surrounding insulating film structure.
2Reliability
If the terminal electrode area is increased to improve solder fixing force, then mounting stability improves, but the capacitor footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of expanding the terminal electrode horizontally which would increase the capacitor footprint, the patent utilizes the vertical dimension by forming the conductive protective film to extend along the side surface of the capacitor. This vertical extension provides additional solder contact area while maintaining a compact horizontal footprint.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple protective film structure is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the terminal electrode cannot extend to provide sufficient solder contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive protective film serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation, forms the terminal electrode structure, extends the solder contact area along the side surface, and protects the underlying capacitor components. This multi-functional design achieves the solder contact area extension without adding separate manufacturing steps or components.
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitor that includes a lower electrode; a dielectric film; an upper electrode; a first protective film that has a first through hole that opens to the upper electrode and a second through hole that opens to the lower electrode, and has a first upper surface; a second protective film that has a second upper surface located higher than the first upper surface of the first protective film; a first terminal electrode electrically connected to the upper electrode through the first through hole, and extends to at least the second upper surface of the second protective film; and a second terminal electrode electrically connected to the lower electrode through the second through hole, and extends to at least the second upper surface of the second protective film.