US 12,272,500 B2
Multilayer ceramic electronic component including external electrode with multilayer structure
Satoshi Muramatsu, Nagaokakyo (JP); and Ken Tominaga, Nagaokakyo (JP)
Assigned to MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Nagaokakyo (JP)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/410,081.
Application 18/410,081 is a continuation of application No. 18/075,456, filed on Dec. 6, 2022, granted, now 11,908,628.
Application 18/075,456 is a continuation of application No. 17/205,069, filed on Mar. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,557,437, issued on Jan. 17, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-074660 (JP), filed on Apr. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0153712 A1, May 9, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01G 4/30 (2006.01); H01G 4/008 (2006.01); H01G 4/012 (2006.01); H01G 4/12 (2006.01); H01G 4/232 (2006.01)
CPC H01G 4/30 (2013.01) [H01G 4/008 (2013.01); H01G 4/012 (2013.01); H01G 4/12 (2013.01); H01G 4/232 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising:
a multilayer body including a plurality of stacked ceramic layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers, and including a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to each other in a height direction, a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other in a width direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the height direction, and a third side surface and a fourth side surface opposite to each other in a length direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the height direction and the width direction; and
a plurality of external electrodes on the side surfaces and the second major surface of the multilayer body; wherein
the plurality of internal electrode layers include a plurality of first internal electrode layers and a plurality of second internal electrode layers;
the first internal electrode layer includes a first lead electrode portion extending to one of the first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, and a second lead electrode portion extending to one side surface other than the side surface to which the first lead electrode portion extends;
the second internal electrode layer include a third lead electrode portion extending to one of the first, second, third and fourth side surfaces, and a fourth lead electrode portion extending to one side surface other than the side surface to which the third lead electrode portion extends;
the plurality of external electrodes include a first external electrode connected to the first lead electrode portion, a second external electrode connected to the second lead electrode portion, a third external electrode connected to the third lead electrode portion, and a fourth external electrode connected to the fourth lead electrode portion;
the first, second, third and fourth external electrodes include an underlying electrode layer on the second major surface, a lower plating layer, and an upper plating layer on the lower plating layer;
at least a portion of the lower plating layer is connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of internal electrode layers;
the lower plating layer is a Cu plating layer;
the lower plating layer includes a lower layer region located closer to the multilayer body and an upper layer region located between the lower layer region and the upper plating layer; and
the Cu plating layer in the lower layer region has a metal grain diameter smaller than that of the Cu plating layer located in the upper layer region.