Multilayer Ceramic Electrode Structure for Crack-Resistant Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The strong adhesion between the multilayer body and the base electrode layer in multilayer ceramic electronic components can lead to cracks due to thermal and mechanical stress, especially in components with small height measurements.
Innovation Solution
The multilayer ceramic electronic component design includes a thin film layer and a plating layer for the outer electrodes, with a continuous thin film layer having a smaller thickness in the length direction than the end surface thin film layer, reducing the bonding strength and minimizing crack occurrence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the adhesion between the multilayer body and the base electrode layer is increased by controlling metal occupied area and dielectric material, then the bonding strength is improved, but cracks occur in the ceramic layer due to thermal stress and mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different regions within the outer electrode with distinct properties: a first region with higher metal content for strong adhesion to the multilayer body, and a second region with lower metal content or dielectric material for stress relief. This spatial variation in composition allows simultaneous achievement of strong bonding and crack prevention in different locations of the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of the outer electrode by controlling the metal occupied area ratio and dielectric material content in different regions. Specifically, the first region has a metal occupied area ratio of 70-90% while the second region has 30-60%, creating a gradient structure that modulates adhesion strength and stress distribution to prevent cracks while maintaining bonding.
2Volume of moving object
If the multilayer ceramic capacitor is reduced in size to improve electronic device performance, then the component dimensions are reduced, but the ceramic layer thickness between inner electrode layer and base electrode layer becomes very small increasing crack risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the size reduction problem by creating local quality variations in the outer electrode structure. The first region provides strong anchoring to the multilayer body while the second region with reduced metal content or increased dielectric material acts as a stress buffer zone, protecting the already-thin ceramic layers from stress-induced cracks in miniaturized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by incorporating a second region in the outer electrode that serves as a pre-designed stress relief zone. This region, with its lower metal content or higher dielectric material proportion, is positioned to absorb and distribute thermal and mechanical stresses before they can propagate into the thin ceramic layers, preventing cracks in advance.
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a first outer electrode extending from a first end surface to a portion of a second main surface and a second outer electrode extending from a second end surface to a portion of the second main surface. Each of the first and second outer electrodes includes a thin film layer and a plating layer on the thin film layer. The thin film layers include main surface thin film layers on the second main surface, end surface thin film layers on the first and second end surfaces, and continuous thin film layers continuing in a height direction from the end surface thin film layers, respectively. A thickness of each of the continuous thin film layers in a length direction is smaller than a thickness of each of the end surface thin film layers in the length direction.