A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes first and second multilayer ceramic electronic component bodies facing each other in a length direction that connects first and second end surfaces. A first metal terminal is connected to a first outer electrode. A second metal terminal is connected to a fourth outer electrode. An outer casing covers the first and second multilayer ceramic electronic component bodies, and at least a portion of each of the first and second metal terminals. A third metal terminal is exposed from the outer casing.

A process of forming a cross-linked electronically active hydrophilic co-polymer is provided and includes the steps of: a. mixing an intrinsically electronically active material and at least one compound of formula (I) with water to form an intermediate mixture; b. adding at least one hydrophilic monomer, at least one hydrophobic monomer, and at least one cross-linker to the intermediate mixture to form a co-monomer mixture; and c. polymerising the co-monomer mixture. Formula (I) is defined as: ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently optionally substituted C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl and X.sup.− is an anion.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body including dielectric layers and internal electrode layers laminated alternately on each other, and external electrode layers on both end surfaces of the multilayer body in a length direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a lamination direction, and each connected to the internal electrode layers. The dielectric layers each include at least one of Ca, Zr, or Ti, the internal electrode layers each include Cu, and the external electrode layers each include a sintered electrode layer in which dielectric particles including at least one of Ca, Zr, or Ti are included in a metal including Ni, and at least one of a Cu-plated layer, a Ni-plated layer, and a Sn-plated layer on an outer side of the sintered electrode layer.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body including dielectric layers and internal electrode layers laminated alternately on each other, and external electrode layers provided on opposing end surfaces of the multilayer body in a length direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to a lamination direction, and each connected with the internal electrode layers, in which the dielectric layers each include at least one of Ca, Zr, or Ti, the internal electrode layers each include Cu, and when a dimension in the lamination direction of the multilayer body is defined as T0, a dimension in the length direction of the multilayer body is defined as L0, and a dimension in a width direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the lamination direction and the length direction is defined as W0, a relationship of L0<W0<T0 is satisfied.

The present invention is directed to a multilayer capacitor and a circuit board containing the multilayer capacitor. The capacitor includes a main body containing a set of alternating dielectric layers and internal electrode layers wherein the set contains a first internal electrode layer and a second internal electrode layer and each internal electrode layer includes a top edge, a bottom edge opposite the top edge, and two side edges extending between the top edge and the bottom edge that define a main body of the internal electrode layer. Each internal electrode layer contains at least one lead tab extending from the top edge of the main body of the internal electrode layer and at least one lead tab extending from the bottom edge of the main body of the internal electrode layer, wherein at least one lead tab extending from the top edge of the main body of the internal electrode layer and at least one lead tab extending from the bottom edge of the main body of the internal electrode layer include a lateral edge aligned with a side edge of the main body of the internal electrode layer. External terminals are electrically connected to the internal electrode layers wherein the external terminals are formed on a top surface of the capacitor, a bottom surface of the capacitor opposing the top surface of the capacitor, and extending along an end surface between the top surface and the bottom surface.

A capacitor component includes a body, including a dielectric layer and an internal electrode layer, and an external electrode disposed on the body and connected to the internal electrode layer. A region, containing nickel (Ni) and carbon (C), is present between the internal electrode layer and the dielectric layer.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately stacked on one another, and two external electrodes on two end surfaces of the multilayer body. The internal electrodes include first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes arranged alternately. A distance between the first internal electrodes adjacent to each other includes a distance T11 and a distance T12. The distance T11 is greater than the distance T12. A distance between the second internal electrodes adjacent to each other includes a distance T21 and a distance T22. The distance T21 is greater than the distance T22.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes alternately stacked on one another, and two external electrodes respectively on two end surfaces of the multilayer body. Each of the dielectric layers includes, at a location coincident with an end portion of a respective one of the internal electrodes, a thick-walled portion thicker in a stacking direction than a portion corresponding in position to a middle portion of a main surface of the multilayer body. When viewed in the stacking direction, positions of some of the thick-walled portions of the dielectric layers are out of alignment with positions of a remainder of the thick-walled portions of the dielectric layers.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an external electrode including an underlying electrode layer, a lower plating layer on the underlying electrode layer at a first end surface and a second end surface, and an upper plating layer on the lower plating layer. The underlying electrode layer is a thin film electrode including at least one selected from Ni, Cr, Cu, and Ti. The lower plating layer is a Cu plating layer including a lower layer region located closer to the multilayer body and an upper layer region located between the lower layer region and the upper plating layer, and the Cu plating layer in the lower layer region has a metal grain diameter smaller than that of the Cu plating layer located in the upper layer region.

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer body and external electrodes provided on opposing end surfaces of the multilayer body. Each external electrode includes an underlying electrode layer including metal components and ceramic components, and plating layers on the underlying electrode layer. A metal of the plating layer on the underlying electrode layer diffuses into the underlying electrode layer, and exists at an interface where the metal components included in the underlying electrode layer are in contact with each other and an interface where the metal component and the ceramic component included in the underlying electrode layer are in contact with each other.