Electrode Cover Layer Thickness at Corners to Prevent Cracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multilayer ceramic electronic components face issues with stress concentration at corners, leading to potential separation of the electrode from the mounting substrate or cracking of the electrode.

Innovation Solution

The electronic component features a cover layer with insulating properties extending across the boundary between the electrode perimeter and the component body surface, with increased thickness at corners to mitigate stress concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electrode is disposed along the main surface of the component body, then the electrical connection function is achieved, but stress concentration occurs at the corners causing electrode separation or cracking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode adhesionVSAvoidelectrode corner strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The cover layer is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thicker at the corners of the electrode and thinner at other areas. This local variation in thickness provides enhanced stress distribution and protection specifically where needed (at corners) without unnecessarily increasing the overall layer thickness elsewhere, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining electrode adhesion and preventing corner stress concentration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The thickness parameter of the cover layer is changed spatially across the electrode structure. By making the cover layer thicker at corners compared to other regions, the mechanical properties are optimized locally to prevent stress concentration and electrode cracking while maintaining overall electrical connection functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If the cover layer thickness is increased at corners, then stress concentration is mitigated, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorner stress resistanceVSAvoidcover layer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than uniformly increasing the cover layer thickness across the entire electrode, the invention applies local quality by making the cover layer selectively thicker only at the corner regions. This targeted approach enhances corner stress resistance without the need for complex multi-layer structures or additional components throughout the entire device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12342471B2Electronic component and method for manufacturing electronic component

Publication Date: 2025.06.24 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic component of the present disclosure includes: an electronic component body; an electrode on a surface of the electronic component body; and a cover layer having insulating properties on at least a portion of a perimeter of the electrode and extending across a boundary between the perimeter of the electrode and the surface of the electronic component body, wherein in a plan view of the electronic component body seen from a side where the electrode is disposed, the electrode includes corners each provided by two segments defining a portion of the perimeter of the electrode, and a thickness of at least a portion of the cover layer on at least one of the corners is greater than a thickness of the other portions of the cover layer on portions other than the corners.