Coil Electronic Component Electroless Plating Uniformity

The patent changes the plating method from electroplating to electroless plating, fundamentally altering the deposition mechanism. Electroless plating uses chemical reduction instead of electrical current, enabling uniform thickness deposition without the thickness variation and un-plated regions characteristic of electroplating. This parameter change directly resolves the contradiction by achieving both adequate plating coverage and uniform thickness distribution.

The patent replaces the electroplating process (which relies on electrical fields and current distribution) with electroless plating (which uses chemical reactions). This substitution eliminates the mechanical/electrical field-related issues of non-uniform deposition and un-plated regions, achieving both reliable coverage and uniform thickness through chemical means alone.

The patent divides the external electrode into two distinct functional layers: a first layer (electroless plating layer) that provides uniform base coverage and thickness, and a second layer (conductive paste layer) that provides final electrical connectivity. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function, with the electroless plating layer solving the uniformity issue while the conductive paste layer handles the electrical connection requirements.

The patent creates a composite electrode structure combining electroless plating material in the first layer with conductive paste materials in the second layer. This composite approach leverages the uniform thickness advantage of electroless plating while incorporating the electrical conductivity benefits of conductive paste, achieving both uniformity and functional performance through material composition rather than single-material solutions.