Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor Electrode Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of multi-layer ceramic capacitors poses a challenge in maintaining the reliability of the components due to the thinning of external electrodes, which can lead to gaps and infiltration of plating solutions or moisture, reducing the component's reliability.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer ceramic electronic component design that ensures a sufficient thickness of the external electrode by maintaining specific ratios of electrode thickness to component dimensions, preventing moisture and plating solution infiltration, even when the electrodes are minimized for miniaturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the thickness of the external electrode is reduced to achieve miniaturization, then the size of the multi-layer ceramic capacitor is reduced, but gaps are easily generated in the base film and reliability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the external electrode thickness non-uniform: it is thinned in the main body area to reduce overall size, but maintains sufficient thickness at the ridge portion to prevent gap formation. This localized differentiation allows miniaturization while preserving reliability at critical stress concentration points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the external electrode from a uniform value to a variable value that depends on position. Specifically, the thickness is controlled to be greater than a predetermined value at the ridge portion while being reduced elsewhere, achieving a balance between miniaturization and reliability through parameter optimization.
2Volume of moving object
If the thickness of the external electrode is made thin, then miniaturization is achieved, but plating solution and moisture infiltration occurs through gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent protects against harmful factors by concentrating the protective function at the ridge portion where gaps are most likely to form. The external electrode maintains sufficient thickness specifically at this location to act as a barrier against plating solution and moisture infiltration, while being thinned elsewhere to achieve miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the external electrode structure in advance to prevent gap formation at the ridge portion. By ensuring sufficient thickness at this critical location before the plating process, the patent preemptively blocks the pathway for plating solution and moisture infiltration that would otherwise occur with thin uniform electrodes.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-layer ceramic electronic component includes a multi-layer unit and an external electrode. The multi-layer unit includes an end surface oriented in a first direction, a side surface oriented in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a ridge connecting the end surface and the side surface, ceramic layers, and internal electrodes. The multi-layer ceramic electronic component satisfies the following relationships: A/L≥0.0142*ln(L)+0.0256, A/T≥0.0274*ln(T)+0.0719, B/L≥0.0103*ln(L)+0.0281, and B/T≥0.0189*ln(T)+0.0707, where A represents a thickness of the external electrode in the second direction at a position adjacent to the ridge on the side surface, B represents a thickness of the external electrode in the first direction at a position adjacent to the ridge on the end surface, L represents a dimension of the multi-layer ceramic electronic component in the first direction, and T represents a dimension of the multi-layer ceramic electronic component in the second direction.