Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Auxiliary Electrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multilayer ceramic capacitors face challenges in achieving high capacitance per unit volume while maintaining withstand voltage characteristics, as reduced dielectric layer thickness leads to insufficient capacitance and voltage reduction due to electrode gaps and displacement between stacked layers.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a multilayer ceramic capacitor structure with inner and auxiliary electrodes arranged to maximize effective electrode areas, reduce electric field concentration, and improve moisture resistance, featuring alternating inner electrodes and auxiliary electrodes with narrower end portions to enhance connectivity and prevent voltage deviation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the thickness of dielectric layers is reduced to achieve compactness, then the size of the multilayer ceramic capacitor is reduced, but the withstand voltage characteristics deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize of multilayer ceramic capacitorVSAvoidwithstand voltage characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the electrode structure into multiple segments: inner electrodes for capacitance formation, auxiliary electrodes for electric field management, and outer electrodes for terminal connection. This segmentation allows the auxiliary electrodes to specifically manage the electric field at dielectric layer boundaries, preventing breakdown and maintaining withstand voltage even when dielectric layers are thin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The auxiliary electrodes act as intermediary elements between the inner electrodes and outer electrodes. They are positioned at specific locations where dielectric layers are present, serving as mediators that distribute and control the electric field in the regions where thin dielectric layers are most vulnerable to breakdown.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If gaps are present between inner electrodes to form series capacitor components, then the structure allows for series connection, but the effective area of inner electrodes is reduced resulting in insufficient capacitance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseries capacitor component structureVSAvoideffective area of inner electrodes

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a single-dimensional electrode arrangement to a multi-dimensional structure by adding auxiliary electrodes that extend in different spatial directions. This allows the inner electrodes to maintain their effective area for capacitance while the auxiliary electrodes provide the series connection functionality through their positioning and connection to outer electrodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If displacement between stacked layers occurs, then manufacturing variations are present, but voltage is applied unevenly to inner electrodes resulting in reduced withstand voltage characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking toleranceVSAvoidwithstand voltage characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary electrodes are designed to create equipotential regions at the boundaries of dielectric layers. By positioning auxiliary electrodes to overlap with inner electrodes and connecting them to outer electrodes, they ensure that the electric potential is distributed evenly across the dielectric layer boundaries, compensating for any displacement or misalignment between stacked layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

4Quantity of substance

If the thickness of dielectric layers is increased to achieve sufficient capacitance, then capacitance per unit volume improves, but inner electrode diffusion increases making outer electrodes and inner electrodes less likely to contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapacitance per unit volumeVSAvoidelectrode contact reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the electrode functions: inner electrodes provide capacitance, auxiliary electrodes provide field management and contact assurance, and outer electrodes provide terminal connection. This segmentation allows the auxiliary electrodes to specifically address the contact reliability issue by extending to outer electrodes and ensuring continuous conductive paths, while inner electrodes can be optimized for capacitance without compromising contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10170243B2Multilayer ceramic capacitor

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body including dielectric layers stacked on one another, inner electrodes, and auxiliary electrodes, and outer electrodes on end surfaces of the multilayer body. The inner electrodes include first through fifth inner electrodes on different planes. The auxiliary electrodes include a first auxiliary electrode on the same plane as the first inner electrode, a second auxiliary electrode on the same plane as the second inner electrode, a third auxiliary electrode on the same plane as the third inner electrode, and a fourth auxiliary electrode on the same plane as the fourth inner electrode.