Multilayer ceramic electronic components and methods for manufacturing the same

• US 20030041427A1
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Hattori, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 6,704,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/25.42
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/30 Stacked capacitors H01G4/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A green laminated body is subjected to heat treatment in a pressurized atmosphere at a gauge pressure exceeding 0.1 MPa to thereby remove binder. The resulting green laminated body is fired and thereby yields an laminated body including internal electrodes made of a metal film.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising:

providing a ceramic green sheet comprising a ceramic powder and a binder;

providing a thin metal film;

forming a green laminated body by laminating a plurality of the ceramic green sheets and metal films such that film is sandwiched between a pair of ceramic green sheets;

removing the binder by subjecting the green laminated body to heat treatment in a pressurized atmosphere at a gauge pressure exceeding 0.1 MPa; and

forming a sintered laminated body by firing the heat-treated green laminated body.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gauge pressure during removal of the binder is equal to or more than about 0.15 MPa.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the ceramic powder in the ceramic green sheet has a grain size in a range from about 50 to 200 nm.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising preparing the metal film by a thin film forming method selected from the group consisting of vapor deposition, sputtering, electroplating, chemical plating and combinations thereof.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the preparing the metal film is formed on a supporting member and thereafter transferred from the supporting member to the ceramic green sheet.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the ceramic green sheet further comprises a plasticizer.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of meal films are arranged so as to yield electrostatic capacity when forming the green laminated body, and wherein the method further comprises forming a pair of external electrodes on an outer surface of the sintered laminated body each of which is electrically connected with different metal films, to thereby yield a multilayer ceramic capacitor.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the green sheets have a thickness of about 1.5 μ

m or less, the metal film has a thickness of about 0.8 μ

m or less, the binder removal is effected in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, and the firing is effected in a reducing atmosphere.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the metal comprises nickel, and the binder removal is effected in a neutral gas atmosphere.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic powder in the ceramic green sheet has a grain size in a range from about 50 to 200 nm.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preparing the metal film is formed on a supporting member and thereafter transferred from the supporting member to the ceramic green sheet.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic green sheet further comprises a plasticizer.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the green sheets have a thickness of about 1.5 μ

m or less, the metal film comprises nickel and has a thickness of about 0.1 to 0.8 μ

m, the binder removal is effected in a neutral gas atmosphere, and the firing is effected in a reducing atmosphere.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the gauge pressure during removal of the binder is about 0.15 to 0.5 MPa.

15. A multilayer ceramic electronic component manufactured by the method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of ceramic layers formed from the ceramic green sheet; and

a plurality of internal electrodes formed from the metal film.

16. The multilayer ceramic electronic component according to claim 15 wherein the ceramic layers each have a thickness of less than or equal to about 1.5 μ

m and the internal electrodes each have a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.8 μ

m.

17. A multilayer ceramic electronic component manufactured by the method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a pair of external electrodes each of which is electrically connected to different internal electrodes, to thereby constitute a multilayer ceramic capacitor.

18. The multilayer ceramic electronic component according to claim 17 wherein the ceramic layers each have a thickness of less than or equal to about 1.5 μ

m and the internal electrodes each have a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.8 μ

m.