Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Electrode Continuity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Miniaturization of multilayer ceramic capacitors leads to thin internal electrodes that are prone to breakage during sintering, resulting in irregular capacitance and reliability issues due to difficulty in maintaining electrode continuity.
Innovation Solution
Control the size and regional distribution of common material powder within internal electrodes to achieve 95% or higher continuity, using a conductive paste with a specific ratio of common material powder to conductive metal powder, and optimizing sintering conditions to prevent insulation breakdown and cracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If internal electrodes are thinned to achieve miniaturization and high capacitance, then the capacitance density is improved, but the internal electrodes become prone to breakage during sintering resulting in decreased continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the internal electrode paste by incorporating specific glass powder (containing PbO, B2O3, SiO2, Al2O3) and metal powder in controlled ratios. This parameter modification allows the thinned electrodes to maintain structural integrity during sintering while achieving the desired thinness for high capacitance density, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite internal electrode structure combining conductive metal powder (Ni, Pd, Pt, or their alloys) with glass powder and organic vehicle. This composite formulation provides both the electrical conductivity needed for capacitor function and the structural strength required to prevent breakage during sintering, enabling thin electrodes to maintain continuity while achieving high capacitance density.
2Quantity of substance
If internal electrodes are highly laminated to increase capacitance, then the capacitance value is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases making it difficult to maintain electrode continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the internal electrode paste with optimized composition (metal powder 60-90 wt%, glass powder 5-30 wt%, organic vehicle 1-20 wt%) before lamination. This pre-preparation ensures that the paste has appropriate viscosity and adhesion properties for successful lamination, reducing manufacturing defects and maintaining electrode continuity even when highly laminated to increase capacitance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the paste composition parameters to include specific glass powder content (5-30 wt%) and metal powder ratio (60-90 wt%), which improves the flow and bonding characteristics during lamination. This parameter optimization allows for higher lamination counts to achieve increased capacitance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility and electrode continuity.
3Reliability
If sintering temperature is increased to ensure electrode continuity, then the continuity is improved, but insulation breakdown and cracks occur in the ceramic body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sintering temperature parameter to an optimized range (900-1100°C) that is lower than conventional temperatures. This temperature optimization, combined with the modified paste composition (particularly the glass powder content), achieves sufficient electrode continuity while preventing insulation breakdown and cracks in the ceramic body, resolving the contradiction between continuity and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials in the paste formulation, particularly glass powder containing PbO, B2O3, SiO2, and Al2O3, which act as fluxes and sintering aids. These composite components lower the effective sintering temperature needed for electrode formation while protecting the ceramic body from thermal damage, enabling electrode continuity to be achieved without causing insulation breakdown or cracks.
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
Ensures high capacitance and reliability by maintaining electrode continuity and preventing insulation breakdown and cracks, while allowing for effective sintering and stress reduction in ceramic bodies.
Implementation Method 1
sintering the laminate having the laminated ceramic green sheets thereinto form a ceramic body
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component, including: a ceramic body; and internal electrodes formed inside the ceramic body and having a plurality of non-electrode regions, wherein, on a cross-section taken in length and thickness directions of the ceramic body, when a thickness of the internal electrode is denoted by Te, a continuity of the internal electrode is denoted by C, an area of the internal electrode is denoted by Ae, an area of the plurality of non-electrode regions is denoted by Ao, and a maximum diameter of the non-electrode region having the maximum diameter among the plurality of non-electrode regions is denoted by Pmax, 0.1 μm≦Te≦0.5 μm, 1.1%≦Ao/Ae≦3.2%, Pmax≦120 nm, and 95%≦C≦99.5% are satisfied.