Abstract: A method of producing a multi-layer piezoelectric ceramic component includes: laminating ceramic green sheets to form a laminate, each of the ceramic green sheets being made of a piezoelectric ceramic material and including an electrically conductive pattern, the electrically conductive pattern including a base metal, being to be an internal electrode, and being formed on an inner side of an outer edge of the ceramic green sheet; sintering the laminate; and cutting the sintered laminate and causing the internal electrodes to be exposed.

Abstract: A multilayer capacitor has dielectric layers and multiple internal electrode layers. The laminate includes a stack of multiple dielectric layers made of dielectric material and has a first principal face and a second principal face on the opposite side of the first principal face. In an embodiment, the multiple internal electrode layers have Ni as a primary component, contain at least one metal element selected from Pt, Ru, Rh, Re, Ir, Os, and Pd, and are arranged in parallel with the first principal face and second principal face inside the laminate in such a way that they alternate from the opposing sides with the dielectric layers placed in between, wherein each of the internal electrode layer closest to the first principal face and the internal electrode layer closest to the second principal face has a distance of 30 ?m or less from the corresponding principal face.

Abstract: A method of producing a multi-layer ceramic electronic component includes: preparing a multi-layer sheet including laminated ceramic sheets, and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic sheets; cutting the multi-layer sheet to produce multi-layer chips each having side surfaces from which the internal electrodes are exposed; smoothing the side surfaces of the multi-layer chips; and providing side margins to the smoothed side surfaces of the multi-layer chips.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an element body of roughly rectangular solid shape which is constituted by dielectric layers alternately stacked with internal electrode layers having different polarities and which has a pair of principle faces, a pair of end faces, and a pair of side faces, wherein the multilayer ceramic capacitor is such that: external electrodes are formed on the pair of end faces and one principle face of the element body; and on a cross section taken in parallel with one end face of the multilayer ceramic capacitor near the end face, the ratio of area A constituted by the internal electrode layers connected to the external electrode on this end face side and the dielectric layers present between the internal electrode layers, and area B covering the part of the section excluding the external electrodes, A/B, is 0.92 or more.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, a side margin, and a bonding unit. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers and internal electrodes. The ceramic layers are made of first ceramics and laminated in a first direction, the first ceramics having a first average crystal grain diameter. The internal electrodes are disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin is made of second ceramics and covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the second ceramics having a second average crystal grain diameter. The bonding unit is made of third ceramics and disposed between the multi-layer unit and the side margin, the third ceramics having a third average crystal grain diameter that is larger than the first average crystal grain diameter and the second average crystal grain diameter.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a ceramic body formed by a piezoelectric ceramic, and having first and second end face facing a longitudinal direction, first and second principal faces facing a thickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A pair of external electrodes cover the first and second end faces, extend from the first and second end faces onto the first principal face via ridge parts connecting the end faces with the principal faces, and project in the thickness direction on the first principal face. Multiple internal electrodes are stacked inside the ceramic body and are connected alternately to the pair of external electrodes along the thickness direction. A surface electrode is provided on at least one of the first and second principal faces, and connected to the external electrode different from the one to which the internal electrode adjacent in the thickness direction is connected.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a ceramic base body, a pair of external electrodes, multiple internal electrodes, and surface electrodes. The pair of external electrodes cover a pair of end faces and extend from the pair of end faces along a pair of principal faces and a pair of side faces. The multiple internal electrodes are stacked inside the ceramic base body along the thickness direction, and are connected alternately to one or the other of the pair of external electrodes along the thickness direction. The surface electrodes extend from the pair of external electrodes along the pair of principal faces, and are each divided in the longitudinal direction at a position near, of the pair of external electrodes, the external electrode to which the internal electrode adjacent to the principal face is connected.

Abstract: A multilayer piezoelectric element includes a ceramic base body, a pair of external electrodes, multiple internal electrodes, and surface electrodes. The ceramic base body is formed by a piezoelectric ceramic. The pair of external electrodes cover a pair of end faces. The multiple internal electrodes are stacked inside the ceramic base body along a thickness direction crossing at right angles with a longitudinal direction, and connected alternately to the pair of external electrodes in the thickness direction. The surface electrodes are provided on a pair of principal faces, respectively, and are each connected to the external electrode different from the one to which the internal electrode adjacent in the thickness direction is connected. The pair of external electrodes have a higher porosity than the surface electrodes.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, side margins, and bonding units. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers laminated in a first direction and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margins cover the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The bonding units are each disposed between the multi-layer unit and each of the side margins and have higher silicon content than the ceramic layers and the side margins.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a multilayer piezoelectric element includes a multilayer piezoelectric body and multiple internal electrodes. The multilayer piezoelectric body has a pair of principal faces in a first-axis direction, a pair of end faces in a second-axis direction crossing at right angles with the first-axis direction and defining the longitudinal direction, and a pair of side faces in a third-axis direction crossing at right angles with the first-axis direction and second-axis direction. The multiple internal electrodes are placed inside the multilayer piezoelectric body and stacked in the first-axis direction. Among the multiple internal electrodes, a center internal electrode placed at the center part of the multilayer piezoelectric body is such that its first cross-sectional shape, as viewed from the third-axis direction, has undulations greater than the undulations of the second cross-sectional shape of the center internal electrode as viewed from the second-axis direction.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, a side margin, and a bonding unit. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers and internal electrodes. The ceramic layers are made of first ceramics and laminated in a first direction, the first ceramics having a first average crystal grain diameter. The internal electrodes are disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin is made of second ceramics and covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the second ceramics having a second average crystal grain diameter. The bonding unit is made of third ceramics and disposed between the multi-layer unit and the side margin, the third ceramics having a third average crystal grain diameter that is larger than the first average crystal grain diameter and the second average crystal grain diameter.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, side margins, and bonding units. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers laminated in a first direction and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margins cover the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The bonding units are each disposed between the multi-layer unit and each of the side margins and have higher silicon content than the ceramic layers and the side margins.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, a side margin, and a bonding unit. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers and internal electrodes. The ceramic layers are made of first ceramics and laminated in a first direction, the first ceramics having a first average crystal grain diameter. The internal electrodes are disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin is made of second ceramics and covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the second ceramics having a second average crystal grain diameter. The bonding unit is made of third ceramics and disposed between the multi-layer unit and the side margin, the third ceramics having a third average crystal grain diameter that is larger than the first average crystal grain diameter and the second average crystal grain diameter.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: producing a plurality of dielectric green sheets; producing therefrom a plurality of internal electrode-printed green sheets; producing therefrom a plurality of individually cut unsintered laminates by stacking some of the plurality of dielectric green sheets, as cover layers, and the plurality of internal electrode-printed green sheets together; producing therefrom element body precursors by applying a ceramic paste to side faces of the unsintered laminates for forming side margins thereon, wherein an application thickness of the ceramic paste is adjusted in a manner such that a thickness of the side margins is greater than a thickness of the cover layers in the final product; producing therefrom element bodies by sintering; and forming external electrodes on at least one of principal faces and on both end faces of the element bodies.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, a side margin, and a bonding unit. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers and internal electrodes. The ceramic layers are made of first ceramics and laminated in a first direction, the first ceramics having a first average crystal grain diameter. The internal electrodes are disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin is made of second ceramics and covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the second ceramics having a second average crystal grain diameter. The bonding unit is made of third ceramics and disposed between the multi-layer unit and the side margin, the third ceramics having a third average crystal grain diameter that is larger than the first average crystal grain diameter and the second average crystal grain diameter.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor has a laminate including dielectric layers laminated alternately with internal electrode layers of different polarities, wherein the dielectric layer contains ceramic grains having Ba, Ti, and X (wherein X represents at least one type of element selected from the group consisting of Mo, Ta, Nb, and W) and a variation in the concentration distribution of X above in the ceramic grain is within ±5%. The multilayer ceramic capacitor can offer excellent service life characteristics even when the thickness of the dielectric layer is 0.8 ?m or less, as well as excellent bias characteristics.

Abstract: A method of producing a multi-layer ceramic electronic component includes: preparing a multi-layer sheet including laminated ceramic sheets, and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic sheets; cutting the multi-layer sheet to produce multi-layer chips each having side surfaces from which the internal electrodes are exposed; smoothing the side surfaces of the multi-layer chips; and providing side margins to the smoothed side surfaces of the multi-layer chips.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a multi-layer unit, side margins, and bonding units. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers laminated in a first direction and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margins cover the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The bonding units are each disposed between the multi-layer unit and each of the side margins and have higher silicon content than the ceramic layers and the side margins.

Abstract: A multi-layer ceramic capacitor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a multi-layer, side margins and offset sections. The multi-layer includes internal electrodes and dielectric layers alternately laminated. The side margins are configured of a dielectric and disposed to cover side faces of the multi-layer. The offset sections are made with amorphous areas or gap areas. The offset sections are formed between the internal electrodes and the side margins such that ends at side faces of the internal electrodes are offset from the side faces to an inward direction of the multi-layer.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an element body of roughly rectangular solid shape which is constituted by dielectric layers alternately stacked with internal electrode layers having different polarities, with a pair of cover layers formed on it to cover the top and bottom faces in the direction of lamination of the foregoing, and which has a pair of principal faces, a pair of end faces, and a pair of side faces, wherein external electrodes are formed on the pair of end faces and at least one of the pair of principal faces of the element body, and Tt representing the thickness of the external electrode and Tc representing the thickness of the cover layer satisfy the relationship of Tt?Tc. The multilayer ceramic capacitor has large capacitance and also exhibits excellent thermal shock resistance while sufficiently suppressing generation of cracks.