Multilayer Ceramic Capacitor Structure for Thin-Layer Crack Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multilayer ceramic capacitors face challenges in achieving smaller size and larger capacity while maintaining reliability due to cracking of thinner protective layers caused by mismatched shrinkage behaviors between the active portion and non-capacitance portions during firing.
Innovation Solution
The multilayer ceramic capacitor design includes protective layers made of a ceramic material with a thickness less than or equal to 30 μm, and incorporates dummy electrode layers alternately stacked with dielectric layers to reduce the mismatch in shrinkage behaviors, thereby minimizing cracking and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the protective layers are made thinner to reduce component size, then the component achieves smaller dimensions and higher capacity density, but the protective layers are more prone to cracking due to mismatched shrinkage behaviors during firing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters of the protective layers to contain barium carbonate and/or barium sulfate in specific amounts (0.1-10 wt% barium carbonate, 0.1-10 wt% barium sulfate). This parameter adjustment modifies the shrinkage characteristics of the protective layers to match the active portion, preventing cracking while maintaining thin thickness (≤30 μm) for compact size and high capacity density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material compositions to different parts of the component. The protective layers have a specific composition containing barium compounds that differs from the active portion, creating local quality differences. This ensures that the protective layers have matched shrinkage behavior to the active portion, preventing cracking at the interface while maintaining overall component integrity at reduced size.
2Quantity of substance
If the protective layers are made thinner to increase capacity density, then more space is available for active dielectric layers, but the mismatched shrinkage behavior causes cracking that reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the protective layers by incorporating barium carbonate (0.1-10 wt%) and barium sulfate (0.1-10 wt%). This parameter change adjusts the thermal shrinkage characteristics of the protective layers to match the active portion, enabling thin protective layers (≤30 μm) to be used without cracking, thereby increasing capacity density while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material structure where the protective layers contain a combination of ceramic materials including barium carbonate and barium sulfate alongside other dielectric materials. This composite composition allows the protective layers to have tailored shrinkage properties that match the active portion, preventing cracking and enabling higher capacity density through reduced protective layer thickness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different materials are used for the active portion and non-capacitance portions, then each can be optimized for its function, but the mismatched shrinkage behaviors cause cracking during firing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the material composition parameters of the protective layers to contain specific amounts of barium carbonate (0.1-10 wt%) and barium sulfate (0.1-10 wt%). This parameter modification changes the shrinkage behavior of the protective layers to match the active portion, resolving the cracking issue caused by material differences while preserving the functional optimization benefits of using different materials for different portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates homogeneous shrinkage behavior across different portions of the component by carefully formulating the protective layer composition. Although the materials are different for functional optimization, the shrinkage characteristics are made homogeneous through the addition of barium compounds, preventing cracking during the firing process while maintaining functional versatility.
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 allows for a smaller, higher-capacity multilayer ceramic capacitor with reduced cracking and improved reliability by uniformly controlling the firing shrinkage behavior across the component, ensuring stable electrical and physical properties.
Implementation Method 1
the protective layers contain a same main component as the plurality of first dielectric layers... to reduce the mismatch in shrinkage behaviors
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a stack, a first external electrode, a second external electrode, and protective layers. The stack includes an active portion including first dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately stacked on one another, covers at two ends of the active portion, and first and second side surfaces. The first and second external electrodes are connected to different internal electrode layers. The protective layers are on the first and second side surfaces, contain a same main component as the first dielectric layers, and each have a thickness less than or equal to 30 μm. Each of the covers includes second dielectric layers and dummy electrode layers alternately stacked on one another. An interval between the dummy electrode layers is one to eight times inclusive an interval between the internal electrode layers.