Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Electrode Design for Mounting Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to enhance the miniaturization and thinning of multilayer ceramic capacitors while ensuring high capacitance and reliability, particularly in IT devices, where existing technologies struggle to balance capacitance and mounting reliability under varying voltage applications.

Innovation Solution

A multilayer ceramic electronic component design featuring internal electrodes stacked with dielectric layers, ceramic bands, and external electrodes that cover the end surfaces and connected surfaces, with the external electrodes having a thickness and width narrower than the ceramic body, ensuring improved mounting reliability and increased capacitance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the number of internal electrodes is increased to enhance capacitance, then capacitance is improved, but the risk of short circuits increases and mounting reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecapacitanceVSAvoidmounting reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A resin layer is introduced as an intermediary substance between adjacent internal electrodes. This resin layer acts as an insulating barrier that prevents direct contact and potential short circuits between electrodes, while still allowing the electrodes to function capacitively. The resin layer fills the spaces between electrodes and provides electrical isolation, enabling higher electrode density without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a sacrificial spacer structure during the manufacturing process that is later removed. These spacers are temporary structures used to maintain electrode spacing during fabrication, then deliberately removed to create the final electrode configuration. This approach allows precise electrode positioning and spacing control without requiring complex permanent structural elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Volume of moving object

If the size of the multilayer ceramic capacitor is reduced for miniaturization, then device compactness is improved, but manufacturing precision and reliability become more difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapacitor sizeVSAvoidelectrode alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary positioning structures and alignment features during the stacking process. Internal electrodes and dielectric layers are pre-positioned with precise alignment markers and guiding structures before final sintering. This preliminary action ensures that even in miniaturized components, the electrodes maintain correct alignment and spacing, overcoming the challenges of reduced tolerances in smaller devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The capacitor is divided into modular units with standardized electrode patterns and dielectric layer configurations. This segmentation allows for precise manufacturing of individual layers that can be stacked and assembled with high accuracy. The modular approach enables consistent reproduction of precise geometries even at reduced scales, as each segment can be manufactured and positioned independently with controlled tolerances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9953766B2Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same
Publication Date: 2018.04.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRO MECHANICS CO LTD
  • US9953766B2 patent drawing
  • US9953766B2 patent drawing
  • US9953766B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including an electrode structure including internal electrodes stacked to face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween and alternately exposed to first and second end surfaces thereof and ceramic bands enclosing regions spaced apart from the first and second end surfaces of the electrode structure; and external electrodes covering the first and second end surfaces of the electrode structure and at least portions of surfaces of the electrode structure connected to the first and second end surfaces of the electrode structure, respectively.