Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same

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

• preparing a plurality of ceramic sheets;
• forming internal electrode patterns on the respective ceramic sheets using a conductive paste;
• stacking the ceramic sheets on which the internal electrode patterns are formed to form a ceramic body including internal electrodes disposed therein to face each other;
• forming seed layers on at least one surface of the ceramic body in a thickness direction;
• forming first electrode layers on a first end surface and a second end surface of the ceramic body, respectively, to be connected to the internal electrodes and connected to the seed layers;
• and
• forming plating layers on the first electrode layers and the seed layers to form external electrodes,
• wherein 0.8≦T2/T1≦1.2, where T1 is a thickness of each of the first electrode layers in a central region of the ceramic body in the thickness direction, and T2 is a thickness of each of the first electrode layers at a point at which an outermost internal electrode, among the internal electrodes, is positioned.

A multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising:

• a ceramic body in which a plurality of internal electrodes are stacked with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween;
• and
• external electrodes formed on surfaces of the ceramic body to be connected to the internal electrodes,
• wherein the external electrodes include seed layers formed on at least one surface of the ceramic body in a thickness direction, first electrode layers electrically connected to the internal electrodes, and plating layers disposed on the seed layers and the first electrode layers, and
• the first electrode layers are formed on only end surfaces of the ceramic body in a length direction of the ceramic body.