Electronic Component Base Layer Plating Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic component manufacturing methods face challenges in minimizing fusion defects and maintaining plating uniformity due to inadequate co-material particle distribution in the base layer of external electrodes, leading to potential damage and adhesion issues during sintering.
Innovation Solution
The electronic component design incorporates a base layer with co-material particles dispersed in a metal matrix, where the metal covers the edges of these particles, and blast polishing is used to form metal coating pieces over the particles, ensuring the co-material particles are covered by metal at the interface with the electrically-conducting material layer, thereby maintaining plating uniformity and minimizing fusion defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the amount of co-material particles near the surface of the base layer is increased to prevent fusion defect, then fusion defect is reduced, but plating uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The base layer is designed with non-uniform co-material particle distribution: higher concentration near the element body interface for stress relief and adhesion, and lower concentration near the surface for plating uniformity. This local variation in composition resolves the contradiction between preventing fusion defects and maintaining plating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The base layer is functionally segmented into different regions: an inner region with higher co-material content for mechanical adhesion and stress management, and an outer region with lower co-material content for uniform plating. This segmentation allows each region to optimize for its specific function.
2Manufacturing precision
If physical or chemical polishing is performed to remove co-material particles from the surface, then plating uniformity is improved, but damage to the element body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base layer is designed in advance with reduced co-material particle concentration near the surface, before plating is applied. This preliminary design eliminates the need for subsequent polishing operations, thereby preventing damage to the element body while still achieving uniform plating.
3Strength
If the amount of co-material particles in the base layer is increased to ensure adhesion, then adhesion is improved, but plating uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The base layer employs local quality variation with higher co-material content near the element body for strong adhesion, and lower co-material content near the surface for uniform plating. This spatial differentiation allows both adhesion and plating uniformity to be optimized simultaneously.
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
This approach effectively reduces fusion defects and damage to the element body while maintaining plating uniformity and adhesion, allowing for efficient sintering and integration of adjacent components without the need for physical or chemical polishing.
Implementation Method 1
when sintering is executed to cure the base layer and to integrate the base layer with the element body
Implementation Method 2
the thermal stress generated between the external electrode and the element body during sintering
Implementation Method 3
physical or chemical polishing after sintering
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic component includes an element body and external electrodes. The element body includes a dielectric and an internal electrode. Each of the external electrodes includes a base layer formed on multiple surfaces of the element body and an electrically-conducting material layer formed on the base layer, the base layer including a metal and co-material particles dispersed in the metal and being connected to the internal electrode. The co-material particles at an interface surface between the base layer and the electrically-conducting material layer have edges covered with the metal at the interface surface. The electrically-conducting material layer is in contact with the co-material particles at the interface surface and the metal covering the edges of the co-material particles at the interface surface.