Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Shield Electrode Low Insertion Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current capacitor technologies face challenges in achieving low insertion loss across a broad frequency range, particularly in high-frequency applications, which is crucial for modern electronic components and integrated circuits.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer ceramic capacitor design with an active electrode region and a shield electrode region, where the distance between these regions and the capacitor's surface is carefully controlled to optimize performance, resulting in low insertion loss and high capacitance across a wide frequency range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional capacitor designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but insertion loss increases at high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor is divided into multiple functional layers including active electrode layers, shield electrode layers, and dielectric layers. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function - active layers for capacitance and shield layers for reducing insertion loss at high frequencies - thereby resolving the contradiction between low energy loss and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Shield electrodes are introduced as intermediary elements between the active electrodes and the external environment. These shield electrodes act as mediators that block harmful electromagnetic interference and reduce insertion loss at high frequencies without significantly increasing the overall device complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If capacitor size is reduced for compactness, then integration density increases, but maintaining broadband performance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the capacitor are assigned different functional qualities - the active electrode regions provide high capacitance while the shield electrode regions provide insertion loss reduction. This local differentiation allows the capacitor to maintain ultra-broadband performance (4 GHz to 40 GHz) even in a compact thickness, as each local region optimizes for its specific function.
3Quantity of substance
If high capacitance is achieved through larger electrode area, then capacitor value increases, but device footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor uses a composite structure combining multiple dielectric layers with different properties and multiple electrode configurations. This composite approach enables high capacitance values to be achieved within a compact footprint by optimizing the electrical properties of each layer rather than simply increasing the overall device size.
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
The design achieves low insertion loss of 0.3 dB or less across frequencies from 4 GHz to 40 GHz and provides overall capacitance of 20 nF or more, enabling effective use in ultra-broadband applications with a compact thickness.
Implementation Method 1
The capacitor may include a shield electrode region containing at least one shield electrode
Implementation Method 2
an active electrode region containing alternating dielectric layers and active electrode layers
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic capacitor is disclosed including a first external terminal disposed along a first end of the capacitor, a second external terminal disposed along a second end of the capacitor opposite the first end, an active electrode region containing alternating dielectric layers and active electrode layers, and a shield electrode region including at least two shield electrodes that are spaced apart by a shield layer gap in the longitudinal direction. The distance from the active electrode region to the shield electrode region may range from about 4% to about 20% of a thickness of the capacitor between a top surface and a bottom surface opposing the top surface. The shield layer gap may range from about 3% to about 60% of an external terminal gap between the first external terminal and second external terminal in the longitudinal direction on at least one of the top or bottom surfaces.