Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Electrodes With Discontinuous Plating
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multilayer ceramic electronic devices, the use of a conductive resin between external electrodes to alleviate stress leads to increased thickness, hindering miniaturization and capacity, and adds processing steps, thereby increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
The external electrodes are designed with spaced glass patterns on their surfaces, which prevent the formation of a continuous plated layer, reducing tensile stress and eliminating the need for a conductive resin, allowing for miniaturization and increased capacity while maintaining strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conductive resin containing metal filler is sandwiched between external electrode and plated layer to relax stress, then resistance to deflection is improved and cracks are prevented, but the device thickness increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the conductive resin layer from the device structure. Instead of using resin to relax stress, the patent designs the plated layer with discontinuous portions that directly contact the external electrode, allowing the plated layer itself to fulfill the stress-relaxation function without requiring an additional resin layer, thereby reducing device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the discontinuous plated layer structure as an intermediary mechanism between the external electrode and the terminal. The discontinuous portions of the plated layer act as stress-relaxation elements, replacing the need for conductive resin while maintaining electrical conductivity and mechanical stress management functions.
2Reliability
If a conductive resin containing metal filler is sandwiched between external electrode and plated layer to relax stress, then resistance to deflection is improved and cracks are prevented, but the number of manufacturing processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the stress-relaxation function and the electrical conductivity function into a single plated layer structure. The discontinuous plated layer simultaneously provides electrical connection and stress relaxation, eliminating the need for a separate conductive resin layer and its associated application, drying, and curing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the conductive resin layer and its associated manufacturing processes from the production sequence. By designing the plated layer with discontinuous portions, the patent eliminates the need for resin application, drying, and curing steps, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining stress-relaxation functionality.
3Reliability
If a conductive resin containing metal filler is sandwiched between external electrode and plated layer to relax stress, then cracks are prevented from entering the interior, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the conductive resin material from the device structure. The discontinuous plated layer design provides crack prevention functionality without requiring additional resin materials, reducing material costs and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The plated layer structure serves its own stress-relaxation and crack-prevention function through its discontinuous design. The plated layer self-regulates stress distribution and prevents crack propagation without requiring an additional conductive resin layer, making the device more cost-effective to manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic electronic device includes a multilayer chip having a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers facing each other through each of the plurality of dielectric layers, an external electrode that is provided on an end face of the multilayer chip in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the plurality of internal electrode layers face each other, and has a plurality of glass portions that are spaced from each other on a surface of the external electrode, and a plated layer that is provided on the external electrode and has discontinuous portions on the plurality of glass portions.