Monolithic Ceramic Component Via Offset Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional monolithic ceramic capacitors face issues with smear generation during the printing process, which can lead to short-circuits due to the contact between inner conductors and via conductors, especially when using methods like screen printing.
Innovation Solution
The design involves forming inner conductors with openings through which via conductors extend, with the centers of the via conductors deviated from the centers of the openings in a specified direction to minimize the probability of contact and short-circuits, even if a smear is generated during printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If screen printing method is used to form inner conductors, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but smear generation occurs causing short-circuits between inner conductors and via conductors
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetric positioning by deviating the center of the via conductor from the center of the opening in the inner conductor. This asymmetric arrangement creates a deliberate offset that prevents symmetric contact between potential smears and via conductors, thereby maintaining electrical isolation while allowing screen printing to proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the via conductor centers at offset locations before the printing process occurs. This advance positioning ensures that even if smears are generated during printing, they will not contact the via conductors, thus preventing short-circuits before they can occur.
2Manufacturing precision
If via conductors are positioned at centers of openings, then alignment precision is improved, but contact probability increases when smear is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention deliberately introduces asymmetry by offsetting the via conductor center from the opening center. This breaks the symmetric alignment that would otherwise maximize contact probability with smears, while still maintaining controllable and precise positioning through the defined offset distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of precise centering (which maximizes smear contact) into a benefit by using the precision capability to create a controlled offset. The same precision that could cause short-circuits is now used to deliberately position via conductors at safe distances from potential smear regions.
3Reliability
If inner conductors and via conductors are electrically isolated, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric offset positioning provides a simple geometric solution to achieve electrical isolation. Instead of adding complex insulating structures or multi-step processes, the invention uses the straightforward concept of offset positioning that naturally prevents contact between inner conductors and via conductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural design allows the opening in the inner conductor to serve dual purposes: it provides the necessary electrical isolation pathway while also serving as the positioning reference for via conductor placement. The offset positioning ensures that the same structural feature (the opening) that enables isolation also guides the via conductor placement to maintain that isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic electronic component, when an inner conductor is formed by printing an electrically conductive paste, a smear may be generated in an opening of the inner conductor at a side of the opening near to a position from which printing is started in a printing direction. The smear may cause an unwanted contact between the inner conductor and a via conductor, which is a conductor extending through the opening and having a potential different from that of the inner conductor, so as to cause a short-circuit. The inner conductor is printed such that the center of each via conductor is deviated from the center of the opening in the direction in which the electrically conductive paste is printed. With this structure, even if the smear is generated in the opening, the probability of a short-circuit is minimized.