Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor External Electrode Plating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multilayer ceramic capacitors with low thickness have high brittleness and low strength against breakage, which increases the likelihood of breakage during processing and mounting, and existing attempts to enhance strength through metal insertion often compromise capacitance and increase process complexity.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer ceramic electronic component with a ceramic body, dielectric layer, and internal electrodes, where external electrodes comprising conductive metal layers with nickel and tin plating are used, with a thickness ratio of 1.0 to 9.0, enhancing strength while maintaining capacitance by optimizing the thickness of nickel and tin plating layers within a total sum of 10 μm or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the thickness of multilayer ceramic capacitor is reduced to decrease mounting area and ESL, then mounting area and inductance are improved, but strength against breakage and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by forming a multilayer external electrode structure combining conductive metal layer with nickel and tin plating layers. This composite structure provides both electrical conductivity and enhanced mechanical strength, allowing the capacitor to maintain high strength against breakage even when the ceramic body thickness is reduced to 0.6mm or less.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameters of the plating layers within specific ranges (nickel: 1-9μm, tin: 1-9μm, total: 10μm or less) to optimize the balance between mechanical strength and electrical properties. By adjusting these parameters, the capacitor achieves improved strength against breakage while maintaining low ESL and high capacitance.
2Strength
If metal layer is inserted into ceramic body to improve strength against breakage, then strength is improved, but process complexity increases and capacitance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrode structure into distinct functional layers: conductive metal layer for electrical conductivity, nickel plating layer for strength enhancement, and tin plating layer for solderability. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without interfering with others, improving strength without significantly increasing process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of inserting metal layers into the ceramic body thickness direction (which would reduce capacitance), the patent applies multiple plating layers on the external electrode surfaces. This dimensional change from internal insertion to external coating maintains the ceramic body integrity and capacitance while providing strength enhancement.
3Strength
If plating layer thickness is increased to improve strength against breakage, then strength is improved, but capacitance decreases due to reduced effective electrode area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameters of nickel and tin plating layers within specific ranges (1-9μm each, total 10μm or less) to achieve the desired balance between mechanical strength and electrical capacitance, preventing excessive thickness reduction of the effective electrode area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different thicknesses and materials of plating layers at different locations and functions: nickel layer provides strength enhancement, tin layer provides solderability, with total thickness controlled to maintain capacitance. This local quality differentiation optimizes both strength and electrical properties simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including a dielectric layer, and a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode facing each other with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween, and a first external electrode electrically connected to the first internal electrode, and a second external electrode electrically connected to the second internal electrode, disposed in an outer portion of the ceramic body, the first and second external electrodes comprise a first electrode layer including a conductive metal, a first plating layer disposed on the first electrode layer and including nickel (Ni), and a second plating layer disposed on the first plating layer and including tin (Sn), and a ratio (t1/t2) is within a range from 1.0 to 9.0, where t1 is a thickness of the first plating layer including nickel (Ni), and t2 is a thickness of the second plating layer including tin (Sn).