Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Additive Gradient Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multilayer ceramic capacitors face defects due to differences in sintering rates between internal electrodes and the body portion, leading to issues like pores and electrode agglomeration, which affect their reliability.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a multilayer ceramic capacitor design where the body portion includes internal electrodes with a dielectric material and an additive concentration gradient, ensuring uniform sintering characteristics by using the same ceramic additive for both the internal electrodes and dielectric layers, with varying concentrations in the side margin and capacitance regions to match the sintering temperature of the conductive metal material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the sintering temperature is adjusted based on the internal electrode material, then the internal electrode sintering is improved, but the ceramic body portion may be over-sintered causing electrode agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different additive concentrations in different regions of the dielectric layer. The side margin region has a first additive concentration while the capacitance forming region has a second additive concentration, allowing different sintering behaviors in different locations to prevent both pore formation and electrode agglomeration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the additive concentration parameter spatially within the dielectric layer. By adjusting the additive concentration in the side margin region versus the capacitance forming region, the sintering temperature and rate are locally optimized to match the internal electrode sintering characteristics
2Manufacturing precision
If the sintering temperature is adjusted based on the body portion material, then the ceramic sintering is improved, but the internal electrodes may be over-sintered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by creating spatial variation in additive concentration within the dielectric layer. The side margin region contains a first additive concentration while the capacitance forming region contains a second additive concentration, enabling localized control over sintering behavior to protect internal electrodes from over-sintering
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the additive concentration in the dielectric layer based on location. This spatial parameter variation allows the sintering process to be optimized for both the ceramic body and internal electrodes simultaneously, preventing electrode degradation
3Ease of manufacture
If a uniform additive concentration is used throughout the dielectric layer, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but defects occur due to mismatched sintering rates between internal electrodes and body portion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the dielectric layer into regions with different additive concentrations. The side margin region has a first concentration while the capacitance forming region has a second concentration, creating locally optimized sintering conditions that match the internal electrode sintering characteristics and prevent defects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the dielectric layer into functionally distinct regions with different additive concentrations. By segmenting the dielectric material properties spatially, the sintering process can be independently optimized for different areas, ensuring uniform sintering rates between the internal electrodes and body portion
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 significantly reduces defects and over-sintering, enhancing the reliability of multilayer ceramic capacitors by ensuring uniform sintering characteristics across the capacitor structure.
Implementation Method 1
a difference in sintering rates due to a difference in sintering temperatures of materials forming the internal electrode and the body portion commonly causes defects
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a body portion and an external electrode. The body portion has an active region in which capacitance is formed by a plurality of stacked internal electrodes having dielectric layers therebetween, a cover region disposed above the topmost and below the bottommost internal electrodes, and a side margin region disposed laterally adjacent to the active region. The plurality of internal electrodes are not formed in the cover and side margin regions. The body portion may have different additive concentrations depending on a thickness direction, and a concentration of the additive in a region of the side margin laterally adjacent to a dielectric layer of the body portion may be higher than a concentration of the additive in another region of the side margin laterally adjacent to an internal electrode of the body portion.