Multilayer ceramic capacitor

A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:

• a multilayer body including a dielectric ceramic layer and an internal electrode layer stacked in a stacking direction;
• and
• an external electrode connected to the internal electrode layer;
• wherein
• the multilayer body includes a first main surface and a second main surface on opposite sides in the stacking direction, a first side surface and a second side surface on opposite sides in a width direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction, and a first end surface and a second end surface on opposite sides in a length direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction and the width direction;
• the internal electrode layer includes a first internal electrode layer that extends to the first end surface, and a second internal electrode layer that extends to the second end surface;
• the second internal electrode is opposed to the first internal electrode layer with the dielectric ceramic layer interposed therebetween;
• the external electrode includes a first external electrode that is disposed on the first end surface and is connected to the first internal electrode layer, and a second external electrode that is disposed on the second end surface and is connected to the second internal electrode layer;
• the dielectric ceramic layer includes a first dielectric ceramic layer and a second dielectric ceramic layer;
• the first dielectric ceramic layer is disposed between the first internal electrode layer and the second internal electrode layer;
• the second dielectric ceramic layer includes a region between the first dielectric ceramic layers provided opposite to each other with the internal electrode layer interposed therebetween, and in which the internal electrode layer is not disposed, and such that a portion of the second dielectric ceramic layer overlaps the first dielectric ceramic layer in the stacking direction;
• the multilayer body includes an inner layer portion in which the first internal electrode layer and the second internal electrode layer are alternately stacked with the dielectric ceramic layer interposed therebetween, an outer layer portion sandwiching the inner layer portion in the stacking direction and including a ceramic material, and a third dielectric ceramic layer sandwiching the inner layer portion and the outer layer portion in the width direction and including a dielectric ceramic material;
• and
• in at least one of a region between an end of the first internal electrode layer which is not connected to the second external electrode and the second external electrode, and a region between an end of the second internal electrode layer which is not connected to the first external electrode and the first external electrode, in the length direction, a defect portion defined by a portion that is partially missing in the second dielectric ceramic layer is provided on a plane including the stacking direction and the width direction, such that the defect portion is located between the first dielectric ceramic layers in the stacking direction and is located between the second dielectric ceramic layer and the third dielectric ceramic layer in the width direction.