Multilayer Ceramic Component Strontium Gradient Shrinkage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multilayer ceramic electronic components face challenges in miniaturization due to differences in shrinkage behaviors between internal electrodes and dielectric layers, leading to stress, decreased connectivity, and increased grain size and dispersion, which affect reliability and insulation resistance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dielectric layer with varying strontium (Sr) content, where a first region adjacent to the internal electrodes has a high Sr content and a second region has a lower Sr content, reducing the discharge of common ceramic material and oxygen vacancies, and optimizing the structure to improve connectivity and grain dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the dielectric layer is thinned to meet miniaturization requirements, then the capacitance increases and size decreases, but the stress between internal electrode and dielectric layer increases due to shrinkage behavior differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a first region in the dielectric layer with different strontium content (0.1-9.3 mol%) than the second region. This localized compositional variation allows the dielectric layer to have different properties in different areas: the first region near the internal electrode provides stress relief during sintering, while the overall thin structure maintains miniaturization benefits.
2Temperature
If common ceramic material is added to internal electrode paste to delay shrinkage start temperature, then the shrinkage timing is delayed, but the density of internal electrode decreases as common ceramic material is squeezed out to dielectric layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the common ceramic material (strontium-containing material) from the internal electrode paste and places it specifically in the dielectric layer's first region. This eliminates the problem of ceramic material being squeezed out during sintering, as the material is intentionally positioned where it is needed for stress management rather than being an unwanted contaminant.
Solution Approach 2:
The strontium-containing material acts as an intermediary substance that mediates the shrinkage behavior between the internal electrode and dielectric layer. By positioning this material in the first region of the dielectric layer, it serves as a buffer that accommodates differential shrinkage without compromising the density or integrity of either the internal electrode or dielectric layer.
3Temperature
If temperature is increased during sintering, then the shrinkage process completes, but particles in the electrode ball locally to lower surface energy and connectivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameter of the dielectric layer by introducing a first region with specific strontium content (0.1-9.3 mol%). This compositional modification alters the sintering behavior and surface energy characteristics, preventing particle balling even at elevated sintering temperatures while maintaining internal electrode connectivity.
4Stress or pressure
If common ceramic material is squeezed out to dielectric layer, then shrinkage stress is relieved, but grain growth is promoted leading to increased size and dispersion of grains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by confining the strontium-containing material to the first region of the dielectric layer with controlled thickness (50 nm or less). This localized positioning allows stress relief function while preventing widespread grain growth, as the strontium material is restricted to a specific zone rather than dispersing throughout the entire dielectric layer.
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
This approach enhances the connectivity of internal electrodes, adjusts grain size and dispersion, and improves insulation resistance and reliability of multilayer ceramic electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
there is a difference in shrinkage behaviors when the metal and dielectric layers constituting the internal electrodes are sintered
Implementation Method 2
the common ceramic material may promote growth of grains in a dielectric substance, which may lead to increase a size and dispersion of grains
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic body including a dielectric layer containing strontium (Sr) and first and second internal electrodes alternately stacked with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and a first external electrode and a second external electrode connected to the first and second internal electrode, respectively, in which the dielectric layer includes a first region parallel to and adjacent to the first internal electrode or the second internal electrode and having a thickness of 50 nm or less, and a second region parallel to and adjacent to the first region, and the first region has an average content of strontium (Sr) greater than 0.1 mol % and less than 9.3 mol %, and the second region has a lower average content of strontium (Sr) than that of the strontium of the first region.