# US 2025/0157737 A1 · Multilayer electronic component

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- Number: US 2025/0157737 A1
- Document ID: US20250157737A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/813,587
- Filed: 2024-08-23
- Published: 2025-05-15
- Earliest claimed: 2023-11-10
- Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Young Bin JEONG; Hyung Jong CHOI; Kwan Hee YUN; Hyun Tak KIM; Jin Sung LEE; Boo Min NOH; Min Woo KIM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250157737A1

## CPC

- H01G 4/2325: {characterised by the material of the terminals}
- H01G 4/30: Stacked capacitors (H01G4/33 takes precedence)
- H01G 4/012: Form of non-self-supporting electrodes
- H01G 4/12: Ceramic dielectrics {(H01G4/085 takes precedence)}
- H01G 4/232: electrically connecting two or more layers of a stacked or rolled capacitor
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)

## Abstract

A multilayer electronic component includes: a body including a dielectric layer and internal electrodes alternately disposed while having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and external electrodes disposed outside the body, wherein the external electrode includes a lower electrode layer including copper (Cu) and in contact with the internal electrode, an upper electrode layer including silver (Ag) and disposed on the lower electrode layer, and an alloy layer including a copper (Cu)-silver (Ag) alloy and disposed at an interface between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer, and an oxidation region including copper (Cu) oxide is disposed on at least a portion of an external surface of the lower electrode layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multilayer electronic component comprising:
a body including a dielectric layer and internal electrodes alternately disposed while having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and
external electrodes disposed on the body,
wherein the external electrodes include:
a lower electrode layer including copper (Cu) and in contact with the internal electrode,
an upper electrode layer including silver (Ag) and disposed on the lower electrode layer,
an alloy layer including a copper (Cu)-silver (Ag) alloy and disposed at an interface between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer, and
an oxidation region including copper (Cu) oxide is disposed on at least a portion of an external surface of the lower electrode layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the oxidation region is disposed discontinuously.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the alloy layer is disposed discontinuously, and
at least a portion of the oxidation region is continuously disposed in a region of the lower electrode layer that is not covered by the alloy layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the oxidation region is disposed discontinuously at an interface between the lower electrode layer and the alloy layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein an end of the lower electrode layer is not covered by the upper electrode layer, and
at least a portion of the oxidation region is disposed at the end of the lower electrode layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein, in at least one cross section passing through the body, a ratio of an area of the alloy layer to a total area of the external electrodes is greater than a ratio of an area of the oxidation region to the total area of the external electrodes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, a ratio of an area of the alloy layer to a total area of the external electrodes is 25% or less.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, a ratio of an area of the oxidation region to a total area of the external electrodes is 4% or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the alloy layer is greater than a thickness of the oxidation region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The component according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the oxidation region is 1 μm or less.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein an average size of pores included in the alloy layer is smaller than an average size of pores included in the upper electrode layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, t2>t1, where t1 indicates a thickness of the upper electrode layer measured in a central region of the body in a first direction, and t2 indicates a thickness of the upper electrode layer measured based on an outermost internal electrode of the internal electrodes in the first direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein each of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer further includes glass.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The component according to claim 1, wherein the lower electrode layer includes copper (Cu) as a main component, and
the upper electrode layer includes silver (Ag) as a main component.

### Claim 15

A multilayer electronic component comprising:
a body including a dielectric layer and internal electrodes alternately disposed while having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and
external electrodes disposed on the body,
wherein the external electrodes include:
a lower electrode layer including copper (Cu) and in contact with the internal electrode,
an upper electrode layer including silver (Ag) and disposed on the lower electrode layer,
an oxidation region including copper (Cu) oxide, and
a copper (Cu)-silver (Ag) alloy disposed at an interface between the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the oxidation region is disposed discontinuously.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the Cu—Ag alloy is disposed discontinuously, and
at least a portion of the oxidation region is continuously disposed in a region of the lower electrode layer that is not covered by the Cu—Ag alloy.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the oxidation region is disposed discontinuously at an interface between the lower electrode layer and the Cu—Ag alloy.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein an end of the lower electrode layer is not covered by the upper electrode layer, and
at least a portion of the oxidation region is disposed at the end of the lower electrode layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein, in at least one cross section passing through the body, a ratio of an area of the Cu—Ag alloy to a total area of the external electrodes is greater than a ratio of an area of the oxidation region to the total area of the external electrodes in at least one cross section passing through the body.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, a ratio of an area of the Cu—Ag alloy to a total area of the external electrodes is 25% or less.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, a ratio of an area of the oxidation region to a total area of the external electrodes is 4% or less.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the oxidation region is 1 μm or less.

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein an average size of pores included in the Cu—Ag alloy is smaller than an average size of pores included in the upper electrode layer.

### Claim 25 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the body has first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces,
the external electrodes include a first external electrode and a second external electrode, the first external electrode and the second external electrode are disposed on the third and fourth surfaces, respectively, and
in a cross section of the body in the first direction and the second direction, and passing through a center of the body in the third direction, t2>t1, where t1 indicates a thickness of the upper electrode layer measured in a central region of the body in a first direction, and t2 indicates a thickness of the upper electrode layer measured based on an outermost internal electrode of the internal electrodes in the first direction.

### Claim 26 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein each of the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer further includes glass.

### Claim 27 (depends on 15)

The component according to claim 15, wherein the lower electrode layer includes copper (Cu) as a main component, and
the upper electrode layer includes silver (Ag) as a main component.