Capacitor comprising flex crack mitigation voids
View Patent ↗A ceramic multilayer surface-mount capacitor with inherent crack mitigation void patterning to channel flex cracks into a safe zone, thereby negating any electrical failures.
1. A method of forming a capacitor comprising:
forming a channel layer wherein said channel layer comprises at least one pre-channel in a predetermined pattern;
forming a first conductor over said channel layer;
forming a dielectric on said first electrode;
forming a second conductor on said dielectric; and
removing said pre-channel thereby forming a crack mitigation void in said predetermined pattern wherein said removing said pre-channel is by heating.
2. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 wherein said first conductor and said second conductor are coplanar.
3. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 2 further comprising a conductor between adjacent sets of coplanar said first conductor and said second conductor.
4. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 further comprising forming a dielectric layer between said channel layer and said first conductor.
5. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 further comprising forming a first external termination in electrical contact with said first conductor and forming a second external termination in electrical contact with said second conductor.
6. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 wherein said crack mitigation void is elongated.
7. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 6 wherein said crack mitigation void is disposed parallel to said conductors.
8. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 6 comprising pillars in said crack mitigation void.
9. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 comprising a multiplicity of crack mitigation voids wherein the closest approach of adjacent crack mitigation voids is a smaller distance than a closest approach between a crack mitigation void and a closest conductor of said parallel conductors.
10. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 wherein said crack mitigation void extends over a portion of a width of said capacitor.
11. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 1 comprising a multiplicity of crack mitigation voids.
12. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 11 wherein said crack mitigation voids comprise struts there between.
13. The method of forming a capacitor of claim 12 wherein said struts have a thickness which is less than a distance between said crack mitigation void and a closest plate of said parallel plates.