Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes; and external electrodes disposed on external surfaces of the ceramic body, wherein the external electrodes include seed layers disposed on at least one surface of the ceramic body in a thickness direction, first electrode layers electrically connected to the internal electrodes and the seed layers, and plating layers disposed on the seed layers and the first electrode layers, respectively, and 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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising:
 a ceramic body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes stacked to be alternately exposed to a first end surface and a second end surface of the ceramic body with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and   external electrodes disposed on external surfaces of the ceramic body,   wherein the external electrodes include seed layers disposed on at least one surface of the ceramic body in a thickness direction, first electrode layers electrically connected to the internal electrodes and the seed layers, and plating layers disposed on the seed layers and the first electrode layers, respectively, and   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.   
     
     
         2 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layers and the seed layers are connected to each other in corner portions of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         3 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 1 , wherein 0.4≦T3/T1≦1.0, where T3 is a thickness of each of the first electrode layers in corner portions of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         4 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layers are disposed on first and second end surfaces of the ceramic body in a length direction, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layers extend to portions of upper surfaces of the seed layers. 
     
     
         6 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 1 , wherein the seed layers are only disposed on one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction. 
     
     
         7 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 6 , wherein the one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction is a mounting surface of the multilayer ceramic electronic component mounted on a board. 
     
     
         8 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 6 , wherein the plating layers are disposed on first and second end surfaces of the ceramic body in a length direction, and extend to the one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction. 
     
     
         9 . 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.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first electrode layers and the seed layers are connected to each other in corner portions of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein 0.4≦T3/T1≦1.0, where T3 is a thickness of each of the first electrode layers in corner portions of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first electrode layers extend to portions of upper surfaces of the seed layers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the seed layers are only disposed on one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction is a mounting surface of the multilayer ceramic electronic component mounted on a board. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plating layers are disposed on first and second end surfaces of the ceramic body in the length direction, and extend to the one surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of forming the first electrode layers includes a sheet transfer method or a pad transfer method. 
     
     
         17 . 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.   
     
     
         18 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 17 , 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. 
     
     
         19 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 17 , wherein 0.4≦T3/T1≦1.0, where T3 is a thickness of each of the first electrode layers in corner portions of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         20 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 17 , wherein the external electrodes are not formed on both surfaces of the ceramic body in the width direction of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         21 . The multilayer ceramic electronic component of  claim 17 , wherein the seed layers include first and second seed layers formed on a top surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction, and third and fourth seed layers formed on a bottom surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction,
 the first and second seed layers are disposed at opposite ends of the top surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction, and   the third and fourth seed layers are disposed at opposite ends of the bottom surface of the ceramic body in the thickness direction.