# US 2014/0191360 A1 · Esd protection device and method for producing the same

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- Number: US 2014/0191360 A1
- Document ID: US20140191360A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/208,331
- Filed: 2014-03-13
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-14
- Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takahiro Sumi; Jun Adachi; Takayuki Tsukizawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191360A1

## CPC

- H10W 42/60: protecting against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields (integrated devices comprising arrangements for electrical protection H10D89/60)
- H01T 1/20: Means for starting arc or facilitating ignition of spark gap
- H01T 4/10: having a single gap or a plurality of gaps in parallel
- H01T 4/12: hermetically sealed
- H01T 21/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of spark gaps or sparking plugs
- H10W 20/064: {by modifying the conductivity of conductive parts, e.g. by alloying}
- H10W 74/43: comprising oxides, nitrides or carbides, e.g. ceramics or glasses
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01T: SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES (overvoltage protection circuits H02H)

## Abstract

An ESD protection device includes a first discharge electrode and a second discharge electrode arranged to oppose each other, a discharge supporting electrode formed so as to span between the first and second discharge electrodes, and an insulator substrate that retains the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge supporting electrode. The discharge supporting electrode is constituted by a group of a plurality of metal particles each coated with a semiconductor film containing silicon carbide. This discharge supporting electrode is obtained by firing a semiconductor-metal complex powder in which a semiconductor powder composed of silicon carbide is fixed to surfaces of metal particles. Selection is made so that the relationship between a coating amount Q [wt %] of the semiconductor powder in the semiconductor-metal complex powder and a specific surface area S [m2/g] of the metal powder satisfies Q/S≧8.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ESD protection device comprising:
a first discharge electrode and a second discharge electrode being arranged to oppose each other;
a discharge supporting electrode formed so as to span between the first and second discharge electrodes; and
an insulator substrate that retains the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge supporting electrode,
wherein the discharge supporting electrode is constituted by a group of a plurality of metal particles each coated with a semiconductor film containing silicon carbide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ESD protection device according to claim 1, wherein SiO2 is present on a surface of the semiconductor film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ESD protection device according to claim 1, wherein the metal particles comprise copper or a copper alloy containing copper as a main component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ESD protection device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge supporting electrode are positioned inside the insulator substrate, the insulator substrate has a cavity where a gap between the first and second discharge electrodes lies, and the ESD protection device further comprises a first outer terminal electrode and a second outer terminal electrode which are formed on a surface of or another surface of the insulator substrate and respectively electrically connected to the first and second discharge electrodes.

### Claim 5

A method for producing an ESD protection device, the method comprising:
a step of preparing a semiconductor-metal complex powder in which a semiconductor powder containing silicon carbide is fixed to surfaces of metal particles;
a step of preparing an insulator substrate;
a step of forming a green discharge supporting electrode on a surface of or inside the insulator substrate, the green discharge supporting electrode containing the semiconductor-metal complex powder;
a step of forming a first discharge electrode and a second discharge electrode on the surface of, another surface of, or inside the insulator substrate so that the first and second discharge electrodes are opposed to each other on the discharge supporting electrode; and
a step of firing the green discharge supporting electrode,
wherein the relationship between a coating amount Q [wt %] of the semiconductor powder in the semiconductor-metal complex powder and a specific surface area S [m2/g] of the metal particles satisfies Q/S≧8.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for producing an ESD protection device according to claim 5, wherein
the step of preparing the insulator substrate includes a step of preparing a plurality of ceramic green sheets including a first ceramic green sheet and a second ceramic green sheet,
the step of forming the green discharge supporting electrode and the step of forming the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode are performed on the first ceramic green sheet,
the method further comprises:
a step of forming a combustibly removable layer so as to cover a gap between the first and second discharge electrodes;
a step of obtaining the insulator substrate in a green state by stacking the second ceramic green sheet on the first ceramic green sheet so as to cover the green discharge supporting electrode, the first and second discharge electrodes, and the combustibly removable layer; and
a step of forming a first outer terminal electrode and a second outer terminal electrode, which are respectively electrically connected to the first and second discharge electrodes, on the surface of or another surface of the insulator substrate, and
the firing step includes a step of obtaining the insulator substrate by sintering the ceramic green sheets and a step of combustibly removing the combustibly removable layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The ESD protection device according to claim 2, wherein the metal particles comprise copper or a copper alloy containing copper as a main component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The ESD protection device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge supporting electrode are positioned inside the insulator substrate, the insulator substrate has a cavity where a gap between the first and second discharge electrodes lies, and the ESD protection device further comprises a first outer terminal electrode and a second outer terminal electrode which are formed on a surface of or another surface of the insulator substrate and respectively electrically connected to the first and second discharge electrodes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The ESD protection device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge supporting electrode are positioned inside the insulator substrate, the insulator substrate has a cavity where a gap between the first and second discharge electrodes lies, and the ESD protection device further comprises a first outer terminal electrode and a second outer terminal electrode which are formed on a surface of or another surface of the insulator substrate and respectively electrically connected to the first and second discharge electrodes.