Multilayer ceramic capacitor

1. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:

a ceramic multilayer structure designated to have ceramic dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately stacked, the internal electrode layers being mainly composed of a transition metal other than an iron group, end edges of the internal electrode layers being alternately exposed to a first end face and a second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure; and

at least a pair of external electrodes that are provided on the first end face and the second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure,

wherein:

the external electrodes have a base conductive layer and a first plated layer covering the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer directly contacts the ceramic multilayer structure, wherein the base conductive layer includes a first portion and a second portion constituted by a second-phase, wherein the first portion is not in contact with the ceramic multilayer structure, and the second portion is in direct contact with the ceramic multilayer structure;

a main component of the base conductive layer is a noble metal or a transition metal other than an iron group; and

a total concentration of Si and B in the first portion of the second-phase not contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is 0.3 wt % or less, in the base conductive layer; and

the first portion of the second-phase not contacting the ceramic multilayer structure includes at least one of Si and B.

2. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a main component of the ceramic dielectric layers is CaZrO 3 .

3. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a second plated layer that covers the first plated layer,

wherein a main component of the second plated layer is a transition metal different from the transition metal that is the main component of the first plated layer.

4. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:

a main component of the base conductive layer is Cu;

a main component of the first plated layer is Cu; and

a main component of the second plated layer is Sn.

5. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base conductive layer has a thickness of approximately 4 μm to 10 μm.

6. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a total concentration of Si and B in the second portion of the second-phase contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is more than 0.3 wt %, in the base conductive layer.

7. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:

a ceramic multilayer structure designated to have ceramic dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately stacked, the internal electrode layers being mainly composed of a transition metal other than an iron group, end edges of the internal electrode layers being alternately exposed to a first end face and a second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure; and

at least a pair of external electrodes that are provided on the first end face and the second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure,

wherein:

the external electrodes have a base conductive layer and a first plated layer covering the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer directly contacts the ceramic multilayer structure, wherein the base conductive layer includes a first portion and a second portion constituted by a second-phase, wherein the first portion is not in contact with the ceramic multilayer structure, and the second portion is in direct contact with the ceramic multilayer structure;

a main component of the base conductive layer is a noble metal or a transition metal other than an iron group;

a total concentration of Si and B in the first portion of the second-phase not contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is 0.3 wt % or less, in the base conductive layer; and the second-phase of the base conductive layer includes ceramic that is the main component of the ceramic dielectric layers.

8. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a main component the ceramic included in the second-phase is CaZrO 3 .

9. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:

a ceramic multilayer structure designated to have ceramic dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately stacked, the internal electrode layers being mainly composed of a transition metal other than an iron group, end edges of the internal electrode layers being alternately exposed to a first end face and a second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure; and

at least a pair of external electrodes that are provided on the first end face and the second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure,

wherein:

the external electrodes have a base conductive layer and a first plated layer covering the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer directly contacts the ceramic multilayer structure, wherein the base conductive layer includes a first portion and a second portion constituted by a second-phase, wherein the first portion is not in contact with the ceramic multilayer structure, and the second portion is in direct contact with the ceramic multilayer structure;

a main component of the base conductive layer is a noble metal or a transition metal other than an iron group;

a total concentration of Si and B in the first portion of the second-phase not contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is 0.3 wt % or less, in the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer has a thickness of approximately 4 μm to 10 μm; and

the second-phase of the base conductive layer includes ceramic that is the main component of the ceramic dielectric layers.

10. The multilayer ceramic capacitor as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a main component the ceramic included in the second-phase is CaZrO 3 .

11. A multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising:

a ceramic multilayer structure designated to have ceramic dielectric layers and internal electrode layers alternately stacked, the internal electrode layers being mainly composed of a transition metal other than an iron group, end edges of the internal electrode layers being alternately exposed to a first end face and a second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure; and

at least a pair of external electrodes that are provided on the first end face and the second end face of the ceramic multilayer structure,

wherein:

the external electrodes have a base conductive layer and a first plated layer covering the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer directly contacts the ceramic multilayer structure, wherein the base conductive layer includes a first portion and a second portion constituted by a second-phase, wherein the first portion is not in contact with the ceramic multilayer structure, and the second portion is in direct contact with the ceramic multilayer structure;

a main component of the base conductive layer is a noble metal or a transition metal other than an iron group;

a total concentration of Si and B in the first portion of the second-phase not contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is 0.3 wt % or less, in the base conductive layer;

the base conductive layer has a thickness of approximately 4 μm to 10 μm; and

a total concentration of Si and B in the second portion of the second-phase contacting the ceramic multilayer structure is more than 0.3 wt %, in the base conductive layer.