A silicon capacitor may include a silicon substrate having a three-dimensional pattern, and a dielectric thin film disposed over the silicon substrate and having a structure with a crystal gradient form. A manufacturing method of a dielectric thin film capacitor may include etching a silicon substrate to form a three-dimensional pattern, depositing an amorphous thin film on the etched silicon substrate at a temperature below 300° C., and embedding crystalline grains in the deposited amorphous thin film by performing plasma treatment. A manufacturing method of a dielectric thin film capacitor may include etching a silicon substrate to form a three-dimensional pattern, depositing an amorphous thin film on the etched silicon substrate at a temperature below 300° C., and depositing a crystalline layer on the deposited amorphous thin film by performing plasma treatment.

A capacitor element includes first through sixth surfaces, a first-side outer electrode at a first end portion of the first surface and on portions of the third, fifth, and sixth surfaces, a second-side outer electrode at a second end portion of the first surface and on portions of the fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces, a center outer electrode at a portion of the first surface between the first-side outer electrode and the second-side outer electrode and on portions of the fifth and sixth surfaces, and two outermost conductor layers of first and second conductor layers are disposed at both outermost ends in the width direction, a first of the two outermost conductor layers next to one of the first conductor layers with an inner dielectric layer therebetween is connected to the center outer electrode, and a second of the pair of outermost conductor layers next to one of the second conductor layers with an inner dielectric layer therebetween is connected to the first-side outer electrode and the second-side outer electrode.

An electronic component includes a multilayer body, first to fourth outer electrodes, a pair of first insulating coating portions, and a pair of second insulating coating portions. The pair of first insulating coating portions is in at least one of a state in which inner end portions are in contact with the third outer electrode and a state in which outer end portions are in contact with the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode. The pair of second insulating coating portions is in at least one of a state in which inner end portions are in contact with the fourth outer electrode and a state in which outer end portions are in contact with the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode.

One object of the present invention is to enable identification of the direction of an electronic component, while suppressing increase in cost. The present invention provides an electronic component comprising: an insulator portion having a plurality of surfaces (e.g., a top surface, a bottom surface, end surfaces, and side surfaces), the insulator portion including a plurality of regions having different transmissivities of a light beam entering one of the plurality of surfaces (e.g., a top surface, a bottom surface, end surfaces, and side surfaces); an internal conductor portion provided in the insulator portion; and external electrodes provided on the insulator portion and electrically connected to the internal conductor portion.

One object of the present invention is to enable identification of the direction of an electronic component, while suppressing increase in cost. The present invention provides an electronic component comprising: an insulator portion having a plurality of surfaces (e.g., a top surface, a bottom surface, end surfaces, and side surfaces), the insulator portion including a plurality of regions having different transmissivities of a light beam entering one of the plurality of surfaces (e.g., a top surface, a bottom surface, end surfaces, and side surfaces); an internal conductor portion provided in the insulator portion; and external electrodes provided on the insulator portion and electrically connected to the internal conductor portion.

A self-charging droplet capacitor for harvesting low-level ambient energy is provided. The capacitor includes a conductive liquid droplet, which is placed on a heterogeneous and hydrophobic surface of dielectric materials coated onto a conductive substrate. The substrate and the droplet, along with the dielectric materials in between, form a parallel-plate type capacitor. The droplet is free to move on the surface, and thus, provides a position-dependent variation of capacitance. The surface consists of two regions, each with a different material and thickness. The different strengths of solid-water contact electrification of the two materials give rise to a self-charging mechanism. The variation in thickness allows for the capacitance change required for energy harvesting.

A self-charging droplet capacitor for harvesting low-level ambient energy is provided. The capacitor includes a conductive liquid droplet, which is placed on a heterogeneous and hydrophobic surface of dielectric materials coated onto a conductive substrate. The substrate and the droplet, along with the dielectric materials in between, form a parallel-plate type capacitor. The droplet is free to move on the surface, and thus, provides a position-dependent variation of capacitance. The surface consists of two regions, each with a different material and thickness. The different strengths of solid-water contact electrification of the two materials give rise to a self-charging mechanism. The variation in thickness allows for the capacitance change required for energy harvesting.

A thin film capacitor comprises a base material, a dielectric layer provided on the base material, and an upper electrode layer provided on the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer includes a plurality of columnar crystals that extend along a normal direction with respect to a surface of the upper electrode layer. The columnar crystal has a perovskite crystal structure represented by A.sub.yBO.sub.3. An element A is at least one of Ba, Ca, Sr, and Pb, and an element B is at least one of Ti, Zr, Sn, and Hf. Further, y≦0.995 is satisfied, and the dielectric layer contains 0.05 to 2.5 mol of Mg per 100 mol of A.sub.yBO.sub.3.

A ceramic body includes outer layer portions of about 15 μm or more and about 25 μm or less in thickness outside an inner layer portion where internal electrodes are stacked with dielectric ceramic layers interposed therebetween, the inner layer portion includes inner cover electrodes opposed to the internal electrode located outermost in the stacking direction with the dielectric ceramic layers interposed therebetween, the outer layer portions include outer cover electrodes opposed to the inner cover electrodes with the dielectric ceramic layers interposed therebetween, the inner cover electrodes have a coverage of about 75% or more and about 100% or less, the outer cover electrodes have a coverage of about 50% or more and about 70% or less, and boundary layers containing Mg and Mn are provided at the boundaries between the outer cover electrodes and the dielectric ceramic layers located outside the electrodes.

Capacitors having form factors (e.g., dimensions and functionality) comparable with traditional single layer capacitors, but with considerably higher capacitance and methods of their manufacture are provided. Capacitors and methods that implement capacitors where at least one of the dielectric layers is reduced in thickness post firing to produce a device robust enough for automated handling and provide a stable surface for wire-bonding are also provided. Capacitors and methods that implement an internal electrode between at least two layers of pre-fired ceramic dielectric are also provided. Capacitors and methods that implement the integration of multiple dielectric types in a single device producing high frequency performance characteristics are also provided. Capacitors and dielectrics that implement the combination of a multi-layer capacitor with a thin single layer capacitor to further increase operating frequency and capacitance are also provided. Capacitors and methods that implement a single layer capacitor capable of combination with any other passive electronic component such as a resistor or inductor further improving functionality and reducing space requirements on the circuit are also provided.