Multi layer ceramic capacitor

• US 6,331,929 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Company Limited (Taiyo Yuden Co)
• Original Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Company Limited (Taiyo Yuden Co)
• Inventors: Masuda, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ha, Nguyen T
• Application Number:
  US09/524,360
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 361/303, 361/321.1, 361/321.4, 361/306, 361/375, 361/320, 361/305, 361/311, 361/313, 361/306.3
• US Class Current: 361/303
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/005 Electrodes

Abstract

A multi-layer ceramic capacitor is made up of a laminated body in which ceramic layers and internal electrodes are laminated on one another, and external electrodes are provided at end portions of the laminated body, in which the internal electrodes extend to either one of at least a pair of edges of the ceramic layers opposing each other, thereby leading the internal electrodes to end surfaces of the laminated body opposing each other, respectively, and connecting the internal electrodes led out to the end surfaces of the laminated body to the external electrodes, respectively, whereby internal electrodes facing each other through the ceramic layers within the laminated body through the ceramic layers are formed by conductor particles lying between the ceramic layers end-to-end, along a boundary surface between the ceramic layers, continuously. In the internal electrodes are provided spaces where no conductor particles exist, and the number of conductor particles lying along the boundary surface to the ceramic layers, between adjacent spaces, is equal to or less than 20.

Claims

1. A multi-layer ceramic capacitor comprising:

a laminated body formed by ceramic layers and internal electrodes laminated on each other and

external electrodes provided at opposite end portions of the laminated body, wherein opposing internal electrodes are in electrical connection with opposite external electrodes, the internal electrodes are formed by conductor particles provided in end-to-end relationship along a boundary surface between adjacent ceramic layers and spaces are provided between some of the conductor particles.

2. The multi-layer ceramic capacitor of claim 1, wherein the number of conductor particles provided between adjacent spaces is no greater than 20.

3. The multi-layer ceramic capacitor of claim 2, wherein at least 10 ceramic particles are provided in each space.

4. The multi-layer ceramic capacitor of claim 2, wherein the spaces occupy 25-75% of the area of the internal electrodes.

5. The multi-layer ceramic capacitor of claim 3, wherein the spaces occupy 25-75% of the area of the internal electrodes.