Multilayer ceramic electronic component

A multilayer ceramic electronic component, comprising:

• external electrodes including first and second external electrodes formed on end surfaces of a ceramic body, which oppose each other;
• internal electrodes including first and second internal electrodes laminated and separated from each other in the interior of the ceramic body, the first and second internal electrodes being connected to the first and second external electrodes, respectively;
• and
• buffer layers formed from the end surfaces of the ceramic body in an interior direction of the ceramic body, respectively,
• wherein when a thickness of the external electrode is denoted by T, a thickness of the buffer layer is denoted by t, a thickness of an active region is denoted by TA, and a thickness of the ceramic body is denoted by Tc, T≦10 μm, TA/TC>0.8, and t≦5 μm.

A method of manufacturing a multilayer ceramic electronic component, the method comprising:

• preparing a paste for external electrodes including glass;
• forming external electrodes on a sintered chip, in which internal electrodes are laminated, by using the paste for external electrodes;
• and
• sintering the external electrodes by regulating a temperature increase rate at a softening point of the glass or higher to control a thickness of a buffer layer.

A method of manufacturing a multilayer ceramic electronic component, the method comprising:

• preparing a paste for external electrodes including glass;
• forming external electrodes on a sintered chip, in which internal electrodes are laminated, by using the paste for external electrodes;
• and
• sintering the external electrodes,
• wherein in the preparing of the paste for external electrodes, a thickness of a buffer layer is controlled by regulating contents of an alkali metal and vanadium oxide contained in the glass.