WO2023048249A1 - Electronic component - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an electronic component wherein the dielectric loss of the inductor is reduced. The electronic component comprises: at least one insulating layer formed of an insulating body; an inductor provided on the insulating layers; a capacitor provided on the insulating layers and electrically connected to the inductor; and an inter-layer connection conductor that penetrates at least one of the insulating layers and constitutes at least a part of the inductor. The inter-layer connection conductor has a side surface oriented in a direction that intersects the thickness direction of the insulating layers. A space is formed between the insulating body and at least a part of the side surface of at least one inter-layer connection conductor.

Description

electronic components

The present invention relates to an electronic component having an interlayer connection conductor that constitutes at least part of an inductor.

Conventionally, as this type of electronic component, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Literature 1 discloses an electronic component having laminated ceramic layers and internal conductor layers, and through holes provided in the ceramic layers. A stress relaxation material made of resin, metal, or the like is interposed at the interface between the ceramic layer and the internal conductor layer. The internal conductor layers are electrically connected to each other through through holes and formed in a coil shape. That is, the electronic component includes an inductor formed by an internal conductor layer and through holes.

JP-A-8-83715

In the electronic component described in Patent Document 1, the internal conductor layers and through holes forming the inductor are surrounded by the ceramic layers and the stress relaxation material, so the dielectric loss of the inductor is large. From this point of view, there is still room for improvement in the configuration of electronic components.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide an electronic component in which the dielectric loss of the inductor is reduced.

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic component according to the present invention comprises:
at least one insulating layer made of an insulator;
an inductor provided in the insulating layer;
a capacitor provided in the insulating layer and electrically connected to the inductor;
an interlayer connection conductor that penetrates at least one of the insulating layers and constitutes at least part of the inductor;
with
The interlayer connection conductor has a side surface facing a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the insulating layer,
A space is formed between at least a portion of a side surface of at least one interlayer connection conductor and the insulator.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic component in which the dielectric loss of the inductor is reduced.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the electronic component according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of the electronic component in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the electronic component in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the Z1 region of the electronic component in FIG. 2; Graph showing the insertion loss of the inductor corresponding to each diameter of the space. The bottom view of the electronic component which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of the electronic component in FIG. 6; 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of the electronic component in FIG. 7; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line IX-IX in FIG. 6 of the electronic component according to the third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of the electronic component in FIG. 9; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic component of FIG. 2;

An electronic component according to one aspect of the present invention comprises
at least one insulating layer made of an insulator;
an inductor provided in the insulating layer;
a capacitor provided in the insulating layer and electrically connected to the inductor;
an interlayer connection conductor that penetrates at least one of the insulating layers and constitutes at least part of the inductor;
with
The interlayer connection conductor has a side surface facing a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the insulating layer,
A space is formed between at least a portion of a side surface of at least one interlayer connection conductor and the insulator.

According to this configuration, a space is formed between at least part of the side surface of the interlayer connection conductor that forms at least part of the inductor and the insulator that forms the insulating layer. The dielectric constant of air present in the space is lower than the dielectric constant of the insulator. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the interlayer connection conductor is lower than in a configuration in which the entire side surface of the interlayer connection conductor is in contact with the insulator. Therefore, the dielectric loss of the inductor can be reduced.

In the electronic component, at least part of the interlayer connection conductor may be surrounded by the space when viewed from the thickness direction.

According to this configuration, at least part of the interlayer connection conductor is surrounded by a space when viewed from the thickness direction. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the interlayer connection conductor is lower than in a configuration in which only a portion of the side surface of the interlayer connection conductor in the circumferential direction faces the space. Therefore, the dielectric loss of the inductor can be reduced.

In the electronic component, each of the interlayer connection conductor and the space may have a rotationally symmetrical shape or a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction. The center of the interlayer connection conductor may be located at a position different from the center of the space when viewed from the thickness direction.

According to this configuration, when viewed from the thickness direction, the center of the interlayer connection conductor is located at a position different from the center of the space. Therefore, by locating the center of the interlayer connection conductor between the edge of the electronic component and the center of the space, the interlayer connection conductor can be placed near the edge of the electronic component. This makes it possible to increase the size of the inductor provided in the electronic component. Therefore, the inductance of the inductor can be increased.

In the electronic component, each of the interlayer connection conductor and the space may be circular or substantially circular when viewed from the thickness direction. When viewed from the thickness direction, the diameter of the space may be 1.1 times or more the diameter of the interlayer connection conductor.

According to this configuration, the insertion loss of the inductor can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the diameter of the space is less than 1.1 times the diameter of the interlayer connection conductor when viewed in the thickness direction.

In the electronic component, the side surface of the interlayer connection conductor may have a contact area that contacts the insulator and a separation area that is separated from the insulator via the space. The interlayer connection conductor may have a contact portion which is a part of the interlayer connection conductor in the thickness direction and whose side surface is formed by the contact area.

If the ratio of the volume of the space to the volume of the electronic component is large, the strength of the electronic component may decrease. In this case, the insulators forming the insulating layers and the interlayer connection conductors around the space are more likely to be damaged by external shocks, thermal shocks, or the like. According to this configuration, the contact portion is provided on the interlayer connection conductor. As a result, the strength of the electronic component can be increased compared to a structure in which the interlayer connection conductor does not have a contact portion. On the other hand, a space is formed between the side surface and the insulator forming the insulating layer except for the contact portion of the interlayer connection conductor. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the portion other than the contact portion of the interlayer connection conductor is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to realize an electronic component in which the dielectric loss of the inductor is reduced and the damage is suppressed.

In the electronic component, the contact portion may be provided at an end portion of the interlayer connection conductor in the thickness direction.

The ends of interlayer connection conductors are often connected to conductors placed on the surface or inside the electronic component. The ends of such interlayer connection conductors are easily damaged by external shocks, thermal shocks, and the like. On the other hand, according to this configuration, the contact portion is provided at the end portion of the interlayer connection conductor. This improves the strength of the interlayer connection conductor at the end. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a space is formed between the side surface of the end portion and the insulator forming the insulating layer, it is possible to reduce the possibility of damage to the interlayer connection conductor.

The electronic component may further include a terminal electrode arranged on the surface of the insulating layer and exposed to the outside. The contact portion provided at the end portion in the thickness direction of the interlayer connection conductor may be connected to the terminal electrode.

The terminal electrodes connected to the ends of the interlayer connection conductors and exposed to the outside are connected to the electrodes arranged on the board, for example, when the electronic component is mounted on the board. In this case, if the substrate is deformed, stress is concentrated on the end connected to the terminal electrode, and the interlayer connection conductor may be damaged. On the other hand, according to this configuration, the contact portion is provided at the end of the interlayer connection conductor connected to the terminal electrode. This improves the strength of the interlayer connection conductor at the end. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a space is formed between the side surface of the end connected to the terminal electrode and the insulator forming the insulating layer, the interlayer connection conductor is less likely to be damaged.

In the electronic component, the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation region may be smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact region.

A high-frequency current flowing through a conductor concentrates on the surface of the conductor due to the skin effect. According to this configuration, the arithmetic mean roughness of the isolated region is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact region. As a result, the resistance to the high frequency current flowing through the interlayer connection conductor can be reduced. Therefore, the insertion loss of the inductor can be reduced.

The electronic component may have a rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction. The interlayer connection conductor includes a first interlayer connection conductor in which at least a part of the side surface of the interlayer connection conductor forms the space, and a second interlayer connection conductor in which the entire side surface of the interlayer connection conductor is in contact with the insulator. may have When viewed from the thickness direction, the distance between the second interlayer connection conductor and the edge of the electronic component may be shorter than the distance between the second interlayer connection conductor and the center of the electronic component. .

　Insulators forming insulating layers and interlayer connection conductors are easily damaged by external shocks or thermal shocks near the edges of electronic components when viewed from the thickness direction. According to this configuration, the second interlayer connection conductor arranged near the edge of the electronic component is in contact with the insulator through the entire side surface. This improves the strength of the second interlayer connection conductor and the insulator surrounding the second interlayer connection conductor. Therefore, it is possible to suppress breakage of the insulator forming the insulating layer and the interlayer connection conductor.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that these embodiments do not limit the present invention. Also, in the drawings, substantially the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

In the following, for convenience of explanation, terms such as "bottom" and "side" are used to indicate directions, but these terms do not limit the usage conditions of the electronic component according to the present invention.

<First embodiment>
An electronic component according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the electronic component according to the first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 1 taken along the line II-II. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 2, taken along line III--III. 4 is an enlarged view of the Z1 region of the electronic component of FIG. 2. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment includes at least one insulating layer 20, terminal electrodes 3 arranged on a bottom surface 1a (described later) of the electronic component 1, and an insulating layer It has internal conductors 41 to 43 formed on the boundary surfaces of the insulating layers 20 and interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 penetrating at least one layer of the insulating layers 20 .

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the insulating layer 20 has nine stacked insulating layers 21-29. The insulating layer 21 constitutes the bottom layer among the laminated insulating layers 21 to 29 . The surface of insulating layer 21 opposite to the surface in contact with insulating layer 22 constitutes bottom surface 1 a of electronic component 1 . The insulating layer 20 is composed of an insulator. The insulator is, for example, ceramic. Note that the number of insulating layers 20 is not limited to nine, and may be one or more. The thickness of the insulating layer 20 is, for example, 5 to 100 μm. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the insulating layers 21-29 have the same thickness, but they may differ from each other.

As shown in FIG. 1 , terminal electrodes 3 are arranged on the bottom surface 1 a of the electronic component 1 . For example, when the electronic component 1 is mounted on a substrate (not shown), the terminal electrodes 3 are connected to electrodes arranged on the substrate through solder. As a result, the electronic component 1 and the board are electrically connected. The terminal electrode 3 is made of a conductive material such as copper, silver, aluminum, or a compound of these metals. The terminal electrodes 3 may be plated. The plating may be, for example, nickel/gold plating. In the example shown in FIG. 1, four terminal electrodes 3 including terminal electrodes 31 and 32 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, internal conductors 41 to 43 are formed on the interface between the insulating layers 20 . In the example shown in FIG. 2, the internal conductor 41 is positioned between the insulating layers 27 and 28 . The internal conductor 42 is located between the insulating layers 22 and 23 . The internal conductor 43 is positioned between the insulating layers 21 and 22 . The internal conductors 41-43 are made of a conductive material such as copper, silver, aluminum, or compounds of these metals.

The internal conductor 42 and the internal conductor 43 face each other in the thickness direction of the insulating layer 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as "thickness direction"). As a result, the internal conductor 42 and the internal conductor 43 function as the capacitor 6 .

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the electronic component 1 has interlayer connection conductors 51-53. The interlayer connection conductors 51 to 53 are via conductors, for example. The interlayer connection conductors 51 to 53 pass through at least one insulating layer 20 in the thickness direction. That is, the interlayer connection conductors 51-53 extend in the thickness direction.

The interlayer connection conductor 51 penetrates the seven insulating layers 21-27. A first end portion 51 a of the interlayer connection conductor 51 is connected to the terminal electrode 31 . A second end portion 51 b of the interlayer connection conductor 51 opposite to the first end portion 51 a is connected to the internal conductor 41 .

The interlayer connection conductor 52 penetrates the five insulating layers 23-27. A first end 52 a of the interlayer connection conductor 52 is connected to the internal conductor 42 . A second end portion 52 b of the interlayer connection conductor 52 opposite to the first end portion 52 a is connected to the internal conductor 41 .

The interlayer connection conductor 53 penetrates one insulating layer 21 . The interlayer connection conductor 53 is connected to the terminal electrode 32 and the internal conductor 43 at both ends.

As shown in FIG. 3, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are rotationally symmetrical or approximately rotationally symmetrical when viewed from the thickness direction. Here, the term “rotationally symmetrical shape” refers to a shape whose shape after rotation matches the shape before rotation when the shape is rotated around a virtual center point.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are cylindrical with a diameter of 75 μm. That is, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are circular or substantially circular when viewed from the thickness direction. In this case, when the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are rotated around the virtual center points C51 and C52 (see FIG. 3), the shapes of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 after rotation are the same as those before rotation. It matches the shape of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 . Therefore, each of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 has a rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction. Each virtual center point C51, C52 is an example of "the center of the interlayer connection conductor" in the present invention. The length in the thickness direction of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 is determined, for example, by the number of insulating layers 20 that penetrate through and the thickness of each insulating layer 20 that penetrates. In this embodiment, the interlayer connection conductor 53 (not shown in FIG. 3) is also cylindrical with a diameter of 75 μm.

As shown in FIG. 2, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 together with the internal conductor 41 form the inductor 7 in the insulating layers 21-27. The inductor 7 is electrically connected to the capacitor 6 because the interlayer connection conductor 52 is connected to the internal conductor 42 . In this embodiment, the inductor 7 is U-shaped when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction (hereinafter simply referred to as "perpendicular direction"). Note that the inductor 7 may have, for example, a spiral shape, a meandering shape, or the like when viewed from the orthogonal direction. In the case of the spiral-shaped inductor 7, the number of turns of the inductor 7 may be one turn or multiple turns.

The interlayer connection conductor 53 does not constitute a part of the inductor 7 and functions as a wiring that connects the internal conductor 43 and the terminal electrode 32 .

The interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 have side surfaces 51c, 52c facing in a direction intersecting the thickness direction. A space 81 is formed between the side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the insulators forming the five insulating layers 22-26. A space 82 is formed between the side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the insulators forming the three insulating layers 24-26. The spaces 81 and 82 are filled with gas such as air, for example.

The side surfaces 51c and 52c of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are composed of contact regions 51c1 and 52c1 in contact with the insulator forming the insulating layer 20, separated regions 51c2 separated from the insulator via corresponding spaces 81 and 82, 52c2. The contact regions 51c1 and 52c1 form interfaces between the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 and the insulator.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer shapes of the spaces 81 and 82 when viewed from the thickness direction are rotationally symmetrical or substantially rotationally symmetrical. In this embodiment, the outer shape of the spaces 81 and 82 when viewed in the thickness direction is circular or substantially circular. The virtual center points C81 and C82 shown in FIG. 3 are the centers of the contours of the corresponding spaces 81 and 82, respectively. Each virtual center point C81, C82 is an example of the "center of space" in the present invention.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are surrounded by spaces 81 and 82 when viewed from the thickness direction. When viewed in the thickness direction, the outer diameter of spaces 81 and 82 is preferably 1.1 times or more the diameter of corresponding interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 .

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the side surfaces 51c and 52c of the first end portions 51a and 52a and the second end portions 51b and 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are in contact with the insulator forming the insulating layer 20. are doing.

The interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 have contact portions 51d and 52d formed by contact regions 51c1 and 52c1 on the side surfaces 51c and 52c, and a separation portion 51e formed by separation regions 51c2 and 52c2 on at least a part of the side surfaces 51c and 52c. , 52e. In other words, the contact portions 51d and 52d do not have the separation regions 51c2 and 52c2 on the side surfaces 51c and 52c. The contact portions 51d, 52d and the separation portions 51e, 52e are separated in the thickness direction. Dotted lines shown in FIG. 2 indicate boundaries between the contact portions 51d and 52d and the separation portions 51e and 52e. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the contact portions 51d and 52d are provided at the first end portions 51a and 52a and the second end portions 51b and 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, respectively. Specifically, the contact portion 51d is a portion of the interlayer connection conductor 51 located on the insulating layers 21 and 27, and the contact portion 52d is a portion of the interlayer connection conductor 52 located on the insulating layers 23 and 27. .

As shown in FIG. 4, on the side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52, the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation region 52c2 is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact region 52c1. That is, the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation region 52 c 2 is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the interface between the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the insulator forming the insulating layer 20 . Also, on the side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51, the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation region 51c2 is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact region 52c1. "Arithmetic mean roughness" in this specification is calculated according to, for example, JIS B 0601:2013.

According to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, between at least part of the side surfaces 51 c and 52 c of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 that form at least part of the inductor 7 and the insulator that forms the insulating layer 20 . , spaces 81 and 82 are formed. The dielectric constant of the air present in the spaces 81 and 82 is lower than that of the insulator. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 is lower than in the case where the entire side surfaces 51c and 52c of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are in contact with the insulator. Therefore, the dielectric loss of inductor 7 can be reduced.

Further, according to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, at least part of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are surrounded by the spaces 81 and 82 when viewed from the thickness direction. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 is lower than in the configuration in which only the circumferential portions of the side surfaces 51c and 52c of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 face the spaces 81 and 82. FIG. Therefore, the dielectric loss of inductor 7 can be reduced.

Further, according to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, when viewed from the thickness direction, the diameter of the spaces 81 and 82 is less than 1.1 times the diameter of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52. The insertion loss of inductor 7 can be reduced.

When the ratio of the volume of the spaces 81 and 82 to the volume of the electronic component 1 is large, the strength of the electronic component 1 may become low. In this case, around the spaces 81 and 82, the insulator and the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 forming the insulating layer 20 are more likely to be damaged by external impact, thermal shock, or the like. According to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are provided with the contact portions 51d and 52d. As a result, the strength of the electronic component 1 can be increased compared to a configuration in which the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 do not have the contact portions 51d and 52d. On the other hand, spaces 81 and 82 are formed between the side surfaces 51c and 52c and the insulator forming the insulating layer 20 in the separated portions 51e and 52e of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, respectively. Therefore, the dielectric constant around the separation portions 51e and 52e of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to realize the electronic component 1 in which the dielectric loss of the inductor 7 is reduced and the breakage is suppressed.

Hereinafter, “the ends 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52” refer to the first end 51a and the second end 51b of the interlayer connection conductor 51, and the first end 51a and the second end 51b of the interlayer connection conductor 52. It refers to the end 52a and the second end 52b. The ends 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 are connected to the terminal electrodes 31, 32 or the internal conductors 41, 42 in many cases. The end portions 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b of such interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 are easily damaged by external impact, thermal shock, or the like. On the other hand, according to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, the contact portions 51d and 52d are provided at the end portions 51a, 51b, 52a and 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, respectively. This improves the strength of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 at the ends 51a, 51b, 52a and 52b. Therefore, compared to the configuration in which the end portions 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b are the separation portions 51e, 52e of the interlayer connection conductors 51, 52, the possibility of damage to the interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 can be reduced.

For example, when the electronic component 1 is mounted on a substrate (not shown), the terminal electrode 31 connected to the first end portion 51a of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and exposed to the outside may be connected to an electrode arranged on the substrate (not shown). Connected. In this case, if the substrate is deformed, stress is concentrated on the first end portion 51a connected to the terminal electrode 31, and the interlayer connection conductor 51 may be damaged. On the other hand, according to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, the contact portion 51d is provided at the first end portion 51a of the interlayer connection conductor 51 connected to the terminal electrode 31 . This improves the strength of the interlayer connection conductor 51 at the first end portion 51a. Therefore, compared with the configuration in which the first end portion 51a connected to the terminal electrode 31 is the separation portion 51e, the possibility of the interlayer connection conductor 51 being damaged can be reduced.

A high-frequency current flowing through a conductor concentrates on the surface of the conductor due to the skin effect. According to the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment, the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation regions 51c2 and 52c2 is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact regions 51c1 and 52c1. As a result, the resistance to the high-frequency current flowing through the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 can be reduced. Therefore, the insertion loss of inductor 7 can be reduced.

<Example>
Next, the relationship between the diameter of the space, which is circular when viewed in the thickness direction, and the insertion loss of the inductor partially configured by the interlayer connection conductor facing the space will be described. In order to examine this relationship, the inventor performed a simulation assuming an electronic component having five inductors and seven capacitors, and estimated the insertion loss when the diameter of the space was changed. In the simulation, a comparative example with no space, a first example with a space diameter of 77.5 μm, a second example with a space diameter of 87.5 μm, and a third example with a space diameter of 150 μm. Example and a fourth example in which the diameter of the space is 200 μm was assumed. The diameter of the interlayer connection conductor was set to 75 μm in all of the comparative example and the first to fourth examples.

　Fig. 5 is a graph showing the insertion loss of the inductor corresponding to each diameter of the space. The horizontal axis of the graph indicates the frequency of the signal transmitted through the inductor. The vertical axis of the graph indicates the insertion loss of the inductor. The insertion loss increases downward in the figure. As shown in FIG. 5, the inductor insertion loss decreases as the diameter of the space increases.

<Second embodiment>
An electronic component according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIG. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the electronic component according to the second embodiment of the invention. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 6 taken along line VII-VII. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 7 taken along line VIII-VIII.

The electronic component 1A according to the second embodiment differs from the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment in that the entire side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52 that constitutes a part of the inductor 7 is an insulator that constitutes the insulating layer 20. It is the point that is in contact with In addition, when viewed from the thickness direction, the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the edge 1b (described later) of the electronic component 1A is the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the virtual center point C1 (described later) of the electronic component 1A. shorter than distance.

As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic component 1A has a rotationally symmetrical shape or a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction. In this embodiment, the electronic component 1A has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the thickness direction. In this case, when the electronic component 1A is rotated 180 degrees around the virtual center point C1, the shape of the electronic component 1A after rotation matches the shape of the electronic component 1A before rotation. The virtual center point C1 is an example of "the center of the electronic component" in the present invention. The electronic component 1A has an edge portion 1b when viewed from the thickness direction.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, six terminal electrodes 3 including terminal electrodes 31 and 32 are provided. The terminal electrode 31 is arranged in the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the substantially rectangular edge portion 1b.

As shown in FIG. 7, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 together with the internal conductor 41 form the inductor 7 in the insulating layers 21-27. The interlayer connection conductor 51 is an example of the "first interlayer connection conductor" in the present invention. The interlayer connection conductor 52 is an example of the "second interlayer connection conductor" in the present invention.

A side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51 has both a contact region 51c1 and a separation region 51c2. That is, a part of the side surface 51c forms a space 81. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, in the interlayer connection conductor 52, the entire side surface 52c is in contact with the insulator forming the insulating layers 23-27. In other words, the side surface 52c is formed by the contact area 52c1 and does not have a separation area. That is, the space 82 (see FIG. 2) in the electronic component 1 is not formed in the electronic component 1A according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, when viewed from the thickness direction, the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. shorter than For example, the shortest distance D1 between the virtual center point C52 of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is the distance between the virtual center point C52 of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. shorter than the shortest distance D2. Further, for example, the shortest distance D3 between the side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is the shortest distance between the side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. Shorter than D4.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A when viewed in the thickness direction is the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. longer than For example, the shortest distance D5 between the virtual center point C51 of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is the distance between the virtual center point C51 of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. Longer than the shortest distance D6. Further, for example, the shortest distance D7 between the side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is the shortest distance between the side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A. Longer than D8.

When the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 extend obliquely with respect to the thickness direction, each distance between the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 and the edge portion 1b of the electronic component 1A or the virtual center point C1 is, for example, , is measured at the cross-section where the distance is the shortest. Here, the “cross section” includes the surface when the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 reach the surface of the electronic component 1A (for example, the bottom surface 1a shown in FIG. 7). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 extend straight in the thickness direction.

In the vicinity of the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A when viewed from the thickness direction, the insulators and interlayer connection conductors 52 forming the insulating layer 20 are likely to be damaged by external impact, thermal shock, or the like. According to the electronic component 1A according to the second embodiment, the interlayer connection conductor 52 arranged near the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A is in contact with the insulator via the entire side surface 52c. This improves the strength of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the insulator around the interlayer connection conductor 52 . Therefore, breakage of the insulator and the interlayer connection conductor 52 forming the insulating layer 20 can be suppressed.

<Third Embodiment>
An electronic component 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the IX-IX line in FIG. 6 of the electronic component according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic component of FIG. 9, taken along the line XX.

The electronic component 1B according to the third embodiment differs from the electronic component 1 according to the first embodiment in that virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are located between the spaces 81 and 82 when viewed from the thickness direction. This point is located at a different position from the virtual center points C81 and C82.

The electronic component 1B shown in FIG. 9 further includes an internal conductor 44 on the interface between the insulating layer 21 and the insulating layer 22 . The internal conductor 44 is connected to the terminal electrode 31 by, for example, an interlayer connection conductor (not shown).

In the third embodiment, the interlayer connection conductor 51 penetrates the six insulating layers 22-27. A first end 51 a of the interlayer connection conductor 51 is connected to the internal conductor 44 . The interlayer connection conductor 51 forms the inductor 7 in the insulating layers 22 to 27 together with the internal conductor 41 and the interlayer connection conductor 52 .

Although not shown in FIG. 9, the internal conductor 42 faces the internal conductor 43 in the thickness direction (see FIG. 7). As a result, the internal conductor 42 and the internal conductor 43 function as the capacitor 6 .

A space 81 is formed between the side surface 51c of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the insulators forming the four insulating layers 23-26. A space 82 is formed between the side surface 52c of the interlayer connection conductor 52 and the insulators forming the three insulating layers 24-26.

As shown in FIG. 9, each of the interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 and the spaces 81, 82 extends straight in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 10, each of the interlayer connection conductors 51, 52 and the spaces 81, 82 has a circular or substantially circular shape when viewed from the thickness direction.

The virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are different from the virtual center points C81 and C82 of the corresponding spaces 81 and 82, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are positioned between the virtual center points C81 and C82 of the corresponding spaces 81 and 82 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1B. there is In this embodiment, the distances D9 and D10 between the virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1B correspond to the virtual center points of the corresponding spaces 81 and 82. It is longer than the respective distances D11, D12 between C81, C82 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1 . Further, in the present embodiment, the distance D13 between the virtual center point C51 of the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the virtual center point C52 of the interlayer connection conductor 52 is the same as the virtual center point C81 of the space 81 and the virtual center point C82 of the space 82. longer than the distance D14 between

In the example shown in FIG. 9, the interlayer connection conductor 52 is in line contact with the insulators forming the insulating layers 24-26. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the interlayer connection conductor 52 is in point contact with the insulator forming the insulating layer 25 when viewed in the thickness direction.

When the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 constitute at least part of the inductor 7, it is preferable that the distance between the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1B is short when viewed from the thickness direction. As a result, the size of the inductor 7 is increased, so that the inductance of the inductor 7 can be improved. On the other hand, in order to prevent the insulators and interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 that make up the insulating layer 20 from being damaged due to external impact, thermal shock, or the like, the spaces 81 and 82 are arranged in the following directions when viewed from the thickness direction: It needs to be formed with a distance from the edge 1b of the electronic component 1B.

According to the electronic component 1B according to the third embodiment, when viewed from the thickness direction, the virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are different from the virtual center points C81 and C82 of the spaces 81 and 82. . Therefore, by positioning the virtual center points C51 and C52 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 between the edge portion 1b of the electronic component 1B and the virtual center points C81 and C82 of the spaces 81 and 82, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 and the virtual center points C81 and C82 of the spaces 81 and 82 are located at the same positions, the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are arranged near the edge 1b of the electronic component 1B. be able to. As a result, the size of the inductor 7 provided in the electronic component 1B can be increased. Therefore, the inductance of inductor 7 can be increased.

<Method for manufacturing electronic components>
An example of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 17. FIG. 11 to 17 are cross-sectional views showing an example of a method of manufacturing the electronic component shown in FIG.

The electronic component 1 is manufactured by singulating a laminate into a plurality of laminated pieces 17 (see FIG. 17). The laminated body is formed by integrating a plurality of laminated pieces 17 arranged in the orthogonal direction. One laminated piece 17 corresponds to one electronic component 1 . 11 to 16 show only a portion of the laminate corresponding to one laminate piece 17 for convenience of explanation.

In the manufacture of the electronic component 1, first, a slurry that forms the insulating layer sheet 120 (see FIG. 15) is produced. The insulating layer sheet 120 has insulating layer sheets 121-129. Each insulating layer sheet 121-129 corresponds to each insulating layer 21-29. The slurry contains a main agent, a plasticizer, a binder, and the like. The main agent is, for example, a sinterable ceramic powder or the like, and has grains. Phthalic acid esters, di-n-butyl phthalate, and the like are used as plasticizers. Acrylic resin, polyvinyl butyral, or the like is used for the binder, for example.

The slurry is formed into a sheet on the carrier film 11 using, for example, a lip coater or doctor blade (see, for example, FIG. 11). Thus, the insulating layer sheet 120 is formed. A PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film or the like is used for the carrier film 11, for example.

(Step of forming insulating layer in which space is formed)
Next, the insulating layer sheet 126 is used as an example to describe the process of forming an insulating layer in which a space is formed. As shown in FIG. 11, space forming holes 13 are formed through the insulating layer sheet 126 and the carrier film 11 . Space forming holes 13 are formed in portions corresponding to spaces 81 and 82 .

Next, the space-forming holes 13 are filled with a space-forming material 14 that will be burned out in the firing process, which will be described later. The space forming member 14 contains, for example, a resin as a main agent.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, conductor forming holes 15 are formed in the space forming material 14 filled in the space forming holes 13 . Conductor formation holes 15 are formed in portions corresponding to interlayer connection conductors 51-53. A mechanical punch, an ultraviolet (UV) laser, a CO ₂ laser, or the like is used to form the space forming holes 13 and the conductor forming holes 15, for example.

Then, the conductive paste 16 is filled into the conductor forming holes 15 . The conductive paste 16 is sintered in the firing process to become interlayer connection conductors 51-53. The conductive paste 16 is produced, for example, by mixing raw materials including conductive powder, a plasticizer, and a binder.

(Step of forming insulating layer in which no space is formed)
In the step of forming an insulating layer in which no space is formed, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the space forming hole 13 is not formed. In this case, the conductor forming hole 15 is formed so as to penetrate the insulating layer sheet 120 and the carrier film 11 . The conductive paste 16 filled in the conductor forming holes 15 is in contact with the insulating layer sheet 120 .

(Process of forming internal conductors and terminal electrodes)
Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the conductive paste 16 is applied to the surface of the insulating layer sheet 120 opposite to the surface in contact with the carrier film 11 . The application of the conductive paste 16 is performed by, for example, screen printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the conductive paste 16 is applied to the surface of the insulating layer sheet 121 on which the space forming holes 13 are not formed, but the present invention is not limited to this. The conductive paste 16 may be applied to the insulating layer sheet 120 in which the space forming holes 13 are formed. Also, the conductive paste 16 may be applied to the surface of the insulating layer sheet 120 where the conductor forming holes 15 are not formed.

(Lamination process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 15, insulating layer sheets 121 to 129 from which the carrier film 11 is removed are laminated. At this time, the thickness direction of each insulating layer sheet 120 may be the same or different. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the insulating layer sheets 125 to 129 are laminated so that the surfaces in contact with the carrier film 11 face downward in the figure. On the other hand, the insulating layer sheets 121 to 124 are laminated so that the surface in contact with the carrier film 11 faces upward in the figure. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the conductive paste 16 corresponding to the internal conductors 41 is applied to the surface (upper surface in FIG. 15) of the insulating layer sheet 127 . The conductive paste 16 corresponding to the internal conductors 42 is applied to the surface (lower surface in FIG. 15) of the insulating layer sheet 123 . A conductive paste 16 corresponding to the internal conductors 43 is applied to the surface (lower surface in FIG. 15) of the insulating layer sheet 122 . When all the insulating layer sheets 120 are laminated in the same direction, the conductive paste 16 corresponding to each of the internal conductors 41 to 43 is applied to the surfaces of the insulating layer sheets 120 facing the same direction in the lamination process. state.

(Crimping process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the laminated insulating layer sheets 120 are pressed in the thickness direction to be crimped to each other. In the example shown in FIG. 16, each conductive paste 16 penetrates into the insulating layer sheet 120 by the pressure bonding. For example, the conductive paste 16 applied to the surface of the insulating layer sheet 121 (see FIG. 15) and corresponding to the terminal electrodes 31 and 32 penetrates into the insulating layer sheet 121 .

The conductive paste 16 corresponding to each of the internal conductors 41 to 43 may enter only one of the two insulating layer sheets 120 sandwiching the conductive paste 16, or may enter both. For example, the conductive paste 16 corresponding to the internal conductor 41 enters only the insulating layer sheet 127 in FIG. .

(Singulation process)
The laminate is then cut into individual laminate pieces 17, as shown in FIG. A dicing saw, a guillotine cutter, a laser, or the like, for example, is used to cut the laminate. The corners and edges of the laminated piece 17 may be polished, for example, by barreling or the like.

(Baking process)
The laminated pieces 17 are then fired. As a result, the electronic component 1 shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. Spaces 81 and 82 are formed by burning out the space forming material 14 during firing. By sintering the insulating layer sheets 121-129, the insulating layers 21-29 are integrally formed. By sintering the conductive paste 16, terminal electrodes 31, 32, internal conductors 41-43, and interlayer connection conductors 51-53 are formed.

The insulating layer sheet 120 shrinks during sintering so as to compress the conductive paste 16 corresponding to the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 . At this time, grains of ceramic or the like contained in the insulating layer sheet 120 are pressed against regions of the surface of the conductive paste 16 that correspond to the contact regions 51c1 and 52c1 of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 . As a result, unevenness is formed in the region on the surface of the conductive paste 16 . On the other hand, since the insulating layer sheet 120 does not come into contact with the area of the surface of the conductive paste 16 that is in contact with the space forming member 14, unevenness due to grains of ceramic or the like is not formed. By sintering the conductive paste 16 in this state, it is possible to form the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 in which the arithmetic mean roughness of the separation regions 51c2 and 52c2 is smaller than the arithmetic mean roughness of the contact regions 51c1 and 52c1. .

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various other aspects. For example, in the first and third embodiments, two interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 that constitute at least part of the inductor 7 are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this. The total number of interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 forming at least part of inductor 7 may be one or three or more.

In the second embodiment, one interlayer connection conductor 51 corresponding to the first interlayer connection conductor and one interlayer connection conductor 52 corresponding to the second interlayer connection conductor were provided, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of interlayer connection conductors 51 may be two or more. The number of interlayer connection conductors 52 may be two or more. The number of interlayer connection conductors 51 and the number of interlayer connection conductors 52 may be the same or different.

Although the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are assumed to pass through the plurality of insulating layers 20 in the above description, the present invention is not limited to this. The interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 may pass through only one layer of the insulating layers 20 .

In the above description, except for the interlayer connection conductor 52 in the second embodiment, the contact portions 51d and 52d are provided at the first end portions 51a and 52a and the second end portions 51b and 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52. , but not limited to. The contact portions 51d and 52d may be provided at positions other than the first end portions 51a and 52a and the second end portions 51b and 52b of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, respectively. For example, the contact portions 51d and 52d may be provided at the central portions of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 in the thickness direction. If the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 are long in the thickness direction, the spaces 81 and 82 are long in the thickness direction, and the strength of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 may decrease. By providing the contact portions 51d and 52d at the central portions in the thickness direction of the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, the reduction in strength can be suppressed. In the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52, the contact portions 51d and 52d may be provided only at either the first end portions 51a and 52a or the second end portions 51b and 52b. Alternatively, the contact portions 51 d and 52 d may not be provided on the interlayer connection conductors 51 and 52 .

Although the inductor 7 is formed over six or seven insulating layers 20 in the above description, it is not limited to this. The inductor 7 may be formed over one to five insulating layers or eight or more insulating layers 20 .

A space may be formed between the interlayer connection conductor 53 that does not form part of the inductor 7 and the insulator that forms the insulating layer 20 .

In the second embodiment, the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the edge 1b of the electronic component 1A may be less than or equal to the distance between the interlayer connection conductor 51 and the virtual center point C1 of the electronic component 1A.

In the present specification and claims, the terms "film" and "sheet" are not intended to limit the thickness of parts to a specific range.

By appropriately combining any of the various embodiments described above, the respective effects can be achieved.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications are to be included therein insofar as they do not depart from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The electronic component according to the present invention is useful for various electronic components because the dielectric loss of the inductor included in the electronic component is reduced.

1, 1A, 1B Electronic component 1b Edge 20, 21 to 29 Insulating layer 3, 31, 32 Terminal electrode 51, 52 Interlayer connection conductor 51a, 52a First end 51b, 52b Second end 51c, 52c Side 51c1, 52c1 Contact area 51c2, 52c2 Separation area 51d, 52d Contact part 6 Capacitor 7 Inductor 81, 82 Space C1 Virtual center point of electronic component C51, C52 Virtual center point of interlayer connection conductor C81, C82 Virtual center point of space

Claims (9)

1. at least one insulating layer made of an insulator;
   an inductor provided in the insulating layer;
   a capacitor provided in the insulating layer and electrically connected to the inductor;
   an interlayer connection conductor that penetrates at least one of the insulating layers and constitutes at least part of the inductor;
   with
   The interlayer connection conductor has a side surface facing a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the insulating layer,
   A space is formed between at least a portion of a side surface of at least one interlayer connection conductor and the insulator.
   electronic components.
2. The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said interlayer connection conductor is surrounded by said space when viewed from said thickness direction.
3. each of the interlayer connection conductor and the space has a rotationally symmetrical shape or a substantially rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction;
   When viewed from the thickness direction, the center of the interlayer connection conductor is located at a different position from the center of the space.
   The electronic component according to claim 1 or 2.
4. each of the interlayer connection conductor and the space is circular or substantially circular when viewed from the thickness direction;
   4. The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of said space is 1.1 times or more the diameter of said interlayer connection conductor when viewed from said thickness direction.
5. a side surface of the interlayer connection conductor has a contact area that contacts the insulator and a separation area that is separated from the insulator through the space;
   The interlayer connection conductor has a contact portion which is a part of the interlayer connection conductor in the thickness direction and the side surface is formed by the contact area.
   The electronic component according to any one of claims 1-4.
6. The electronic component according to claim 5, wherein the contact portion is provided at an end portion of the interlayer connection conductor in the thickness direction.
7. further comprising a terminal electrode disposed on the surface of the insulating layer and exposed to the outside;
   The contact portion provided at the end portion in the thickness direction of the interlayer connection conductor is connected to the terminal electrode,
   The electronic component according to claim 6.
8. The electronic component according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the arithmetic average roughness of the separation area is smaller than the arithmetic average roughness of the contact area.
9. The electronic component has a rotationally symmetrical shape when viewed from the thickness direction,
   The interlayer connection conductor is
   a first interlayer connection conductor in which at least part of a side surface of the interlayer connection conductor forms the space;
   a second interlayer connection conductor in which the entire side surface of the interlayer connection conductor is in contact with the insulator;
   When viewed from the thickness direction, the distance between the second interlayer connection conductor and the edge of the electronic component is shorter than the distance between the second interlayer connection conductor and the center of the electronic component.
   The electronic component according to any one of claims 1-8.

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