Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Structure for Accurate Probe Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multilayer ceramic capacitors with small heights for surface mounting on circuit boards face challenges in reliable electrical characteristic evaluation due to the placement of external electrodes, which hinders accurate determination of capacitance and insulation resistance.
Innovation Solution
The multilayer ceramic capacitor design includes inspection electrodes located on the end faces, separate from the external electrodes, allowing for easier contact by evaluation device probes, ensuring accurate evaluation of electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external electrodes are placed on the top and bottom surfaces for surface mounting, then the capacitor achieves small height and proper mounting capability, but the probes of evaluation devices cannot easily contact the external electrodes for reliable electrical characteristic measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor is segmented into multiple functional electrode groups: external electrodes (first and second) for mounting connections on top/bottom surfaces, and inspection electrodes (third and fourth) for measurement connections on side surfaces. This segmentation allows different electrode groups to serve different purposes without interfering with each other, enabling both proper mounting and reliable measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection electrodes are positioned on the side surfaces of the capacitor body, utilizing a different spatial dimension (side surfaces) compared to the external electrodes (top/bottom surfaces). This dimensional separation allows evaluation probes to easily contact the inspection electrodes from the sides without interfering with the mounting function of the external electrodes.
2Reliability
If external electrodes are positioned for surface mounting, then the capacitor can be mounted on circuit boards, but accurate determination of capacitance and insulation resistance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection electrodes serve as intermediary elements that facilitate accurate measurement without affecting the primary mounting function. These intermediate electrodes provide dedicated contact points for evaluation devices, enabling precise measurement of capacitance and insulation resistance while the external electrodes continue to handle mounting connections.
3Volume of moving object
If the capacitor body is made small for surface mounting, then it fits modern circuit board requirements, but the placement of evaluation contacts becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning inspection electrodes on the side surfaces rather than top/bottom surfaces, the design makes evaluation contacts accessible from the sides even when the capacitor body is miniaturized. This dimensional approach maintains measurement accessibility despite reduced overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitor is divided into functional zones with inspection electrodes dedicated to measurement purposes on side surfaces. This segmentation ensures that even in small-sized capacitors, there are always accessible contact points for evaluation devices without requiring larger dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a body, external electrodes, a first inspection electrode, and a second inspection electrode. The body includes a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode alternately stacked with a dielectric layer between the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode, and includes a first surface and a second surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, and a first end face and a second end face. The external electrodes are located on the first and second surfaces, and are connected to the first internal electrode. The external electrodes are located on the first and second surfaces, and are connected to the first internal electrode. The first inspection electrode and the second inspection electrode are located on the respective first end face and the second end face, and are connected to the respective first internal electrode and the second internal electrode.