Monolithic ceramic electronic component and method for manufacturing the same

A method for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic electronic component, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a laminate including laminated ceramic layers and a plurality of internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers, an end of each of the internal electrodes being exposed at a predetermined surface of the laminate;
• and
• forming a plated layer on the predetermined surface of the laminate to electrically connect the ends of the internal electrodes to each other;
• wherein
• the step of forming a plated layer comprises:
• a first plating substep of depositing precipitates primarily composed of a specific metal on the end of each of the internal electrodes exposed at the predetermined surface of the laminate and growing the precipitates to coalesce into a continuous first plated sublayer;
• a second plating substep of forming a second plated sublayer primarily composed of the same or substantially the same metal that defines the internal electrodes;
• and
• a substep of heat-treating the laminate at a temperature of at least about 800° C. after the second plating substep.