Anode member for a solid electrolytic capacitor, solid electrolytic capacitor using the anode member, and method of producing the anode member

1. An anode member for a solid electrolytic capacitor, said anode member comprising:

a valve metal thin plate;

a valve metal powder layer formed on at least one plate surface of said valve metal thin plate; and

at least one groove formed in said valve metal powder layer;

wherein said valve metal powder layer having the at least one groove formed therein is sintered to form the anode member.

2. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said groove has a depth corresponding to at least 20% of a thickness of said valve metal powder layer.

3. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a grooved portion corresponding to a portion of said valve metal powder layer that is under said at least one groove;

wherein said grooved portion has a thickness of not more than 50 μm.

4. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said valve metal powder layer has a thickness of at least 50 μm.

5. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said groove is formed by masking the plate surface of the valve metal thin plate and depositing said valve metal powder layer on the masked plate surface.

6. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said groove is formed by depositing the valve metal powder layer on the plate surface and stamping said valve metal powder layer.

7. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said groove is formed by depositing the value metal Powder layer on the plate surface and marking said valve metal powder layer.

8. An anode member as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said valve metal is one of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta).

9. A solid electrolytic capacitor comprising the anode member as claimed in claim 1 , a cathode, and a dielectric member.

10. A method of producing an anode member for a solid electrolytic capacitor, said method comprising:

forming a valve metal powder layer on at least one plate surface of a valve metal thin plate, and forming at least one groove in said valve metal powder layer; and

sintering said valve metal powder layer having the at least one groove formed therein.

11. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the groove has a depth corresponding to at least 20% of a thickness of the valve metal powder layer.

12. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a portion of said valve metal powder layer that is under said at least one groove forms a grooved portion; and

wherein said grooved portion has a thickness of not more than 50 μm.

13. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the valve metal powder layer has a thickness of at least 50 μm.

14. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the valve metal powder layer and the at least one groove formed therein are formed by masking the plate surface of the valve metal thin plate and depositing a valve metal powder on the masked plate surface.

15. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the valve metal powder layer and the at least one groove formed therein are formed by depositing a valve metal powder on the plate surface of the valve metal thin plate and forming the at least one groove by stamping the valve metal powder deposited on the plate surface.

16. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the valve metal powder layer and the at least one groove formed therein are formed by depositing a valve metal powder on the plate surface of the valve metal thin plate and forming the at least one groove by marking the valve metal powder deposited on the plate surface.

17. A method of producing the anode member for the solid electrolytic capacitor as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the valve metal is one of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta).