Ceramic Electronic Component Crack Structure Stress Relaxation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceramic electronic components face cracking due to external mechanical or thermal stress, particularly when miniaturized, as the reduction in thickness of void-containing baked electrode layers compromises their denseness and ability to absorb stress.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a baked electrode layer with a crack structure within the glass portion, starting from the boundary with the metal portion and extending inward, which relaxes external stress without reducing the denseness of the electrode layer, and using spherical-shaped blasting materials to optimize the electrode layer's thickness and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the thickness of the baked electrode layer is reduced to achieve miniaturization, then the size of the ceramic electronic component is reduced, but the denseness of the baked electrode layer deteriorates due to the presence of voids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful voids from the baked electrode layer by introducing cracks that start from the boundary between metal and glass portions and extend toward the inner side of the glass portion. These cracks remove the voids that would otherwise compromise denseness when the layer is thinned, while still maintaining the stress-relaxing function through the crack structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the baked electrode layer by introducing controlled cracks with specific characteristics (starting from metal-glass boundary, extending toward glass inner side). This allows the layer to be thinner while maintaining adequate denseness and stress resistance, as the cracks provide stress relief without requiring the same thickness as void-containing structures.
2Reliability
If voids are introduced in the baked electrode layer to relax external stress, then the stress resistance is improved, but the denseness of the electrode layer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of voids (which reduce denseness) into a beneficial crack structure. The cracks serve the stress-relaxing function while being structurally different from voids, allowing the metal and glass portions to remain more densely packed. The cracks act as controlled stress relief pathways without creating the density issues associated with void-filled structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controlled porous-like structure through cracks rather than traditional voids. These cracks provide stress relief pathways similar to voids but with different geometric characteristics that allow for better denseness maintenance. The crack structure creates a hierarchical porosity that relieves stress while minimizing the volume occupied by non-density-contributing features.
3Productivity
If the thickness of the baked electrode layer is reduced, then the productivity and miniaturization are improved, but the ability to absorb external stress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the baked electrode layer structure by introducing cracks that divide the glass portion into regions separated by crack pathways. This segmentation allows the thin layer to better accommodate stress by creating multiple smaller stress relief zones rather than relying on the thickness of a continuous structure. The cracks effectively segment the stress distribution throughout the layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the thickness limitation by introducing a new dimensional feature - cracks extending through the glass portion. This adds a vertical stress relief dimension that compensates for the reduced thickness, allowing the thin electrode layer to absorb stress through crack propagation pathways rather than through thickness-based flexibility.
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
The crack structure in the glass portion effectively absorbs external stress, enhancing the ceramic component's resistance to mechanical and thermal stress while maintaining the electrode layer's denseness, and the use of spherical blasting materials further improves reliability by reducing metal-lacking portions and preventing excessive grinding.
Implementation Method 1
The crack functions such that, after mounting of the ceramic electronic component, external mechanical or thermal stress is relaxed
Implementation Method 2
using spherical-shaped blasting materials to optimize the electrode layer's thickness and reliability, and using spherical-shaped blasting materials further improves reliability by reducing metal-lacking portions and preventing excessive grinding
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic electronic component includes an outer electrode including a baked electrode layer including an electrically conductive metal and glass, and a plating film on a surface of the baked electrode layer. The baked electrode layer includes metal portions made of the electrically conductive metal and glass portions made of the glass and distributed so as to be in contact with the metal portions. Cracks starting from boundaries between the metal portions and the glass portions and extending toward the inner side of the glass portions are provided in the glass portions.