Electronic component, electronic-component-embedded substrate, and method for producing electronic component

1. An electronic component comprising: a body; and first and second external electrodes arranged on an external surface of the body, an edge portion of the first external electrode and an edge portion of the second external electrode facing each other on the body; wherein the first and second external electrodes include curved portions extending on main surfaces of the external surface of the body and an apex of the curved portions is located in or substantially in a middle of the main surfaces of the external surface of the body in a width direction; and wherein the first and second external electrodes each include a copper-metal-containing layer and a protective copper oxide layer covering the copper-metal-containing layer within the edge portion of the first and second external electrodes, respectively; each of the protective copper oxide layers defines an outermost layer of a respective one of the first and second external electrodes; the copper-metal-containing layer of at least one of the first and second external electrodes is directly electrically connected to an element outside of the electronic component; and each of the protective copper oxide layers contains CuO.

2. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein each of the protective copper oxide layers covers an entire surface of the corresponding copper-metal-containing layer.

3. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein each of the protective copper oxide layers contains Cu 2 O.

4. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein a minimum distance between the first external electrode and the second external electrode is about 0.6 mm or less.

5. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second external electrodes extend on end surfaces and main surfaces of the external surface of the body while all or substantially all of first and second lateral surfaces of the external surface of the body is exposed.

6. The electronic component according to claim 1 , further comprising additional external electrodes on the external surface of the body and covered with a protective layer, the additional external electrodes arranged between the first and second external electrodes.

7. The electronic component according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second external electrodes are laminates each defined by at least one base electrode layer made of Ni or Cu and at least one plate layer that contains Cu.

8. An electronic-component-embedded substrate comprising: a resin substrate; and an electronic component embedded in the resin substrate; wherein the electronic component includes: a body; and first and second external electrodes arranged on an external surface of the body, an edge portion of the first external electrode and an edge portion of the second external electrode facing each other on the body; wherein the first and second external electrodes include curved portions extending on main surfaces of the external surface of the body and an apex of the curved portions is located in or substantially in a middle of the main surfaces of the external surface of the body in a width direction; and wherein the first and second external electrodes each include a copper-metal-containing layer and a protective copper oxide layer covering the copper-metal-containing layer within the edge portion of the first and second external electrodes, respectively; each of the protective copper oxide layers defines an outermost layer of a respective one of the first and second external electrodes; the copper-metal-containing layer of at least one of the first and second external electrodes is directly electrically connected to an element outside of the electronic component; and each of the protective copper oxide layers contains CuO.

9. The electronic-component-embedded substrate according to claim 8 , wherein the resin substrate includes:

a via hole in a main surface thereof, the via hole bordering the copper-metal-containing layer of the at least one of the first and second external electrodes; and

the element outside of the electronic component is defined by a via-hole electrode provided in the via hole and directly electrically connected to the copper-metal-containing layer of the at least one of the first and second external electrodes.

10. The electronic-component-embedded substrate according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second external electrodes extend on end surfaces and main surfaces of the external surface of the body while all or substantially all of first and second lateral surfaces of the external surface of the body is exposed.

11. The electronic-component-embedded substrate according to claim 8 , further comprising additional external electrodes on the external surface of the body and covered with a protective layer, the additional external electrodes arranged between the first and second external electrodes.

12. The electronic-component-embedded substrate according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second external electrodes are laminates each defined by at least one base electrode layer made of Ni or Cu and at least one plate layer that contains Cu.

13. The electronic-component-embedded substrate according to claim 9 , wherein the via hole borders the copper-metal-containing layer of the first or second external electrode through the corresponding protective copper oxide layer.