Chip varistor and chip varistor manufacturing method

1. A chip varistor comprising:

a varistor section comprised of a sintered body containing ZnO as a major component and configured to exhibit the nonlinear voltage-current characteristics;

a plurality of electroconductive sections arranged on both sides of the varistor section and each having a first principal surface connected to the varistor section and a second principal surface opposed to the first principal surface; and

a plurality of terminal electrodes connected to the respective second principal surfaces of the plurality of electroconductive sections, wherein

the varistor section includes a first region in which at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals Ag, and Cu exists and a second region extending between the first principal surfaces of the electroconductive sections and containing no element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, Ag, and Cu, and

each of the electroconductive sections includes a first region in which at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, Ag, and Cu exists, and a second region extending between the first principal surface and the second principal surface and containing no element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, Ag, and Cu.

2. The chip varistor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electroconductive sections contain ZnO as a major component.

3. The chip varistor according to claim 2 ,

wherein the varistor section contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth metals and Bi, as a minor component, and

wherein at least one electroconductive section out of the plurality of electroconductive sections is comprised of a sintered body substantially containing none of the rare earth metals and Bi, as a minor component.

4. The chip varistor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the electroconductive sections are comprised of a composite material of a metal and a metal oxide.

5. The chip varistor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first region of the varistor section is located on the exterior surface side of the varistor section so as to surround the outer periphery of the second region of the varistor section, when viewed from a direction in which the varistor section is sandwiched in between the electroconductive sections.

6. A chip varistor manufacturing method comprising:

a step of preparing a laminate body in which conductor green layers and a varistor green layer are laminated together so that the varistor green layer to become a varistor section containing ZnO as a major component and configured to exhibit the nonlinear voltage-current characteristics is sandwiched in between the conductor green layers to become electroconductive sections;

a step of cutting the laminate body to acquire a plurality of green element bodies;

a step of firing the plurality of green element bodies to acquire a plurality of element bodies in each of which the varistor section is sandwiched in between the electroconductive sections;

a step of forming terminal electrodes on both end sides in a direction in which the varistor section is sandwiched in between the electroconductive sections, in each of the plurality of element bodies; and

a step of diffusing at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, Ag, and Cu, through the exterior surface of the element body, in each of the plurality of element bodies, after the step of forming the terminal electrodes.