Abstract: A method is used to manufacture a multilayer electronic component including a multilayer composite including internal electrodes having ends that are exposed at a predetermined surface of the multilayer composite. In the method, the exposed ends of the internal electrodes are coated with a metal film primarily composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pd, Au, Pt and Ag and having a thickness of at least about 0.1 ?m by immersing the multilayer composite in a liquid containing a metal ion or a metal complex. Then, a continuous plating layer is formed by depositing a plating metal on the ends of the internal electrodes exposed at the predetermined surface of the multilayer composite, and subsequently growing the deposits of the plating metal so as to be connected to each other. Thus, exposed ends of the internal electrodes are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A region where a plating film constituting an external electrode is formed can be accurately controlled in an electronic component in which the external electrode is formed by directly plating a particular region in a surface of a component body. In a component body, a bump is provided in a position in which a region where an external electrode should be formed is partitioned. In a plating process, growth of the plating film constituting the external electrode is substantially stopped or delayed in the bump. As a result, a termination point of the growth of the plating film constituting the external electrode can be accurately controlled in the position of the bump.

Abstract: A laminated electronic component includes outer terminal electrodes including lower plating films including metal particles having an average size of 0.5 ?m or less, the lower plating films being formed by directly plating an outer surface of an electronic component body such that the lower plating films are electrically connected to exposed portions of inner conductors. The outer terminal electrodes may further include upper plating films formed on the lower plating films, the upper plating films being defined by one or more layers. Metal particles defining the upper plating films may have an average size of 0.5 ?m or less. The metal particles defining the lower plating films may be Cu particles.

Abstract: A laminated electronic component includes outer terminal electrodes including lower plating films including metal particles having an average size of 0.5 ?m or less, the lower plating films being formed by directly plating an outer surface of an electronic component body such that the lower plating films are electrically connected to exposed portions of inner conductors. The outer terminal electrodes may further include upper plating films formed on the lower plating films, the upper plating films being defined by one or more layers. Metal particles defining the upper plating films may have an average size of 0.5 ?m or less. The metal particles defining the lower plating films may be Cu particles.

Abstract: A ceramic electronic component includes a substantially rectangular ceramic element assembly, a first external electrode, and a second external electrode. The first external electrode includes at least one plating film including a first plating film disposed directly on the ceramic element assembly from outside. Likewise, the second external electrode includes at least one plating film including a second plating film disposed directly on the ceramic element assembly from outside. The first and second plating films each have a surface area per unit area equal to or larger than about 1.02 in plan view.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a laminated ceramic electronic component, when a plating film to define an external terminal electrode is formed by plating exposed ends of a plurality of internal electrodes at a WT surface of a component main body, ingress of a plating solution may be caused from a gap between an end edge of the plating film and the component main body to decrease the reliability of a laminated electronic component obtained. An internal dummy electrode is provided around a region where the exposed ends of the plurality of internal electrodes are distributed in the WT surface of the component main body. The internal dummy electrode includes two LW-direction sections extending parallel or substantially parallel to each other in a direction along the LW surface, and two LT-direction sections extending parallel or substantially parallel to each other in a direction along the LT surface. The plating film is formed at least over the exposed end of the internal dummy electrode.

Abstract: An electronic component that is prevented from being inclined with respect to a circuit board during and after mounting includes a laminated body that is preferably configured by stacking a plurality of insulator layers, and includes a lower surface with depressions provided thereon. The lower surface includes a series of outer edges of the insulator layers. Capacitor electrodes are defined by internal conductors incorporated in the laminated body, which respectively have exposed sections that are exposed from between the insulator layers in the depressions on the lower surface. External electrodes, which are preferably formed directly by plating, are provided in the depressions to cover the exposed sections.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component includes the steps of preparing a laminated component main body, the component main body including internal electrodes formed therein, and each of the internal electrodes being partially exposed on an external surface of the component main body, and forming an external terminal electrode on the external surface of the component main body such that the external terminal electrode is electrically connected to the internal electrodes. The step of forming the external terminal electrode includes the steps of forming a metal layer on exposed surfaces of the internal electrodes, applying a water repellant on a surface of the metal layer and a section of the external surface of the component main body at which an end edge of the metal layer is located, and then forming a conductive resin layer on the metal layer having the water repellant applied thereon.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a laminated ceramic electronic component, after a plating layer for an external terminal electrode is formed by applying copper plating to an end surface of a component main body at which respective ends of a plurality of internal electrodes primarily including nickel are exposed, when a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more is applied in order to improve adhesion strength and resistance to moisture of the external terminal electrode, voids may occur in the plating layer. The step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon includes not only a step of maintaining a top temperature of about 1000° C. or more but also a step of maintaining a temperature of about 600° C. to 900° C. at least once before the step of maintaining the top temperature.

Abstract: In a method of forming an external electrode by growing plated depositions on exposed ends of a plurality of internal electrodes in a component main body, the component main body is polished to increase exposure of the internal electrodes. To prevent decreased external electrode fixing strength, a radius of curvature is reduced to about 0.01 mm or less for an R chamfered section formed in a ridge section of the component main body during polishing by ion milling, and exposed ends of the internal electrodes are recessed from end surfaces of the component main body with a recess length of about 1 ?m or less. Plating films to serve as external electrodes are formed to extend from the end surfaces of the component main body across the R chamfered section, and include end edges located on at least one of the principal surfaces and the side surfaces.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component including an electronic component main body including laminated functional layers, internal conductors which are disposed inside the electronic component main body and a portion of which are exposed portions exposed at outer surfaces of the electronic component main body, and external terminal electrodes disposed on the outer surfaces of the electronic component main body so as to connect to the internal conductors and cover the exposed portions of the internal conductors includes the step of forming a substrate plating film having an average particle diameter of metal particles of at least about 1.0 ?m on the outer surface of the electronic component main body through direct plating so as to cover the exposed portions of the internal conductors in the formation of the external terminal electrodes on the electronic component main body.

Abstract: A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic element including opposed side surfaces, an inner electrode, and an external terminal electrode. The external terminal electrode includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is formed by plating so as to be electrically coupled to an exposed section of the internal electrode exposed to the side surfaces. The second conductive layer is arranged so as to cover the first conductive layer and includes conductive resin. The value of T2/T1 is in the range of about 3.4 to about 11.3, where T1 indicates the thickness of the first conductive layer and T2 indicates the thickness of the second conductive layer.

Abstract: When an external terminal electrode of a ceramic electronic component such as a laminated ceramic capacitor is formed by plating, plating growth may be also caused even in an undesired location. The ceramic surface provided by a component main body is configured to include a high plating growth region of, for example, a barium titanate based ceramic, which exhibits relatively high plating growth, and a low plating growth region of, for example, a calcium zirconate based ceramic, which exhibits relatively low plating growth. The plating film constituting a first layer to define a base for an external terminal electrode is formed in such a way that the growth of a plated deposit deposited with conductive surfaces provided by exposed ends of internal electrodes as starting points is limited so as not to cross over a boundary between the high plating growth region and the low plating growth region toward the low plating growth region.

Abstract: A method for producing a laminated ceramic capacitor allows a surface of at least a portion of a ceramic element body chip to be brought into contact with a plated layer formed in advance in a mold member, and performs heat processing on the ceramic element body chip in that contact state, thereby to form an external conductor layer made of the plated layer on the surface of at least the portion of the ceramic element body chip. Thus, a method and an apparatus for producing a ceramic electronic component accurately and precisely controls the thickness of the external conductor layer to be small, and easily controls the length of the external conductor layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ceramic electronic component includes the steps of preparing a ceramic body including a plurality of first internal electrodes and a plurality of second internal electrodes, processing the ceramic body to an internal electrode exposure rate of about 102% to about 153%, and plating the processed ceramic body to form a plated layer thereon.

Abstract: An electronic component that is prevented from being inclined with respect to a circuit board during and after mounting includes a laminated body that is preferably configured by stacking a plurality of insulator layers, and includes a lower surface with depressions provided thereon. The lower surface includes a series of outer edges of the insulator layers. Capacitor electrodes are defined by internal conductors incorporated in the laminated body, which respectively have exposed sections that are exposed from between the insulator layers in the depressions on the lower surface. External electrodes, which are preferably formed directly by plating, are provided in the depressions to cover the exposed sections.

Abstract: A ceramic electronic component includes a substantially rectangular ceramic element assembly, a first external electrode, and a second external electrode. The first external electrode includes at least one plating film including a first plating film disposed directly on the ceramic element assembly from outside. Likewise, the second external electrode includes at least one plating film including a second plating film disposed directly on the ceramic element assembly from outside. The first and second plating films each have a surface area per unit area equal to or larger than about 1.02 in plan view.

Abstract: In a method of forming an external electrode by growing plated depositions on exposed ends of a plurality of internal electrodes in a component main body, the component main body is polished to increase exposure of the internal electrodes. To prevent decreased external electrode fixing strength, a radius of curvature is reduced to about 0.01 mm or less for an R chamfered section formed in a ridge section of the component main body during polishing by ion milling, and exposed ends of the internal electrodes are recessed from end surfaces of the component main body with a recess length of about 1 ?m or less. Plating films to serve as external electrodes are formed to extend from the end surfaces of the component main body across the R chamfered section, and include end edges located on at least one of the principal surfaces and the side surfaces.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ceramic electronic component includes the steps of preparing a ceramic body including a plurality of first internal electrodes and a plurality of second internal electrodes, processing the ceramic body to an internal electrode exposure rate of about 102% to about 153%, and plating the processed ceramic body to form a plated layer thereon.

Abstract: In a laminated ceramic electronic component, external terminal electrodes include plating films directly covering exposed portions of internal electrodes on end surfaces of a ceramic element assembly. On the boundaries between the end surfaces and principal surfaces of the ceramic element assembly, substantially rounded corners are provided, and the plating films are arranged such that the ends of the plating films stop at the corners and do not project from the principal surfaces.