A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a laminated body in which dielectric layers and internal electrodes are laminated alternately. The dielectric layer includes a first phase that contains calcium strontium zirconate titanate as a main component thereof and a second phase that contains barium zirconate as a main component thereof. At a cross section of the dielectric layer, a line parallel to the direction in which the dielectric layers and the internal electrodes are laminated contacts the boundaries between the first phase and the second phase once or more on average, thereby the statistically averaged contact number N of such a line with the boundaries determined by a prescribed procedure being 1.0 or greater.

In a multilayer ceramic capacitor, when a dimension in a length direction between a first end surface and a second end surface of a multilayer body is defined as l, a dimension in a width direction between a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface of the multilayer body is defined as w, and a dimension in a height direction between a first main surface and a second main surface of the multilayer body is defined as t, a dimensional relationship of w>l>t is satisfied, and a fourth surface portion and a fifth surface portion of the first external electrode, and a ninth surface portion and a tenth surface portion of the second external electrode each include an opening portion at which a surface of the multilayer body is exposed.

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 to extend from a surface layer of the underlying electrode layer to an interface of the multilayer body, and exists at an interface where the metal components included in the underlying electrode layer are in contact with each other, an interface where the metal component and the ceramic component included in the underlying electrode layer are in contact with each other, and an interface between the metal component included in the underlying electrode layer and the multilayer body.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer body, a first internal electrode layer extending to opposing end surfaces of the multilayer body, a second internal electrode layer extending to opposing side surfaces of the multilayer body, first and second external electrodes connected to the first internal electrode layer and provided on the opposing end surfaces, and third and fourth external electrodes connected to the second internal electrode layer and provided on the opposing side surfaces. The second internal electrode layer includes a central section in a central portion of the dielectric layer and an extending section extending to the opposing side surfaces. The first internal electrode layer is larger in number than the second internal electrode layer, at least two first internal electrode layers are successively layered, and the extending section is larger in thickness than the central section located in the central portion of the dielectric layer.

A multi-layer ceramic capacitor includes a first region, a second region, a multi-layer unit, and a side margin. In the first region, crystal grains including intragranular pores are dispersed. In the second region, crystal grains including intragranular pores are not dispersed. The multi-layer unit includes ceramic layers that are laminated in a first direction and include the second region, and internal electrodes disposed between the ceramic layers. The side margin covers the multi-layer unit from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and includes a region, the region being adjacent to the multi-layer unit and including the first region.

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer body including stacked ceramic layers, internal conductive layers stacked on the ceramic layers, first and second main surfaces opposing each other in a height direction, first and second side surfaces opposing each other in a width direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the height direction, and first and second end surfaces opposing each other in a length direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the height direction and the width direction, and external electrodes connected to the internal conductive layers. The internal conductive layers include holes having a different area equivalent diameter. When an area equivalent diameter in which a cumulative value in a cumulative distribution of area equivalent diameters of the holes in each of the internal conductive layers becomes about 99% is defined as an area equivalent diameter D99, the area equivalent diameter D99 is about 8.0 μm or less.

A ceramic electronic component includes a multilayer structure including dielectric layers and internal electrode layers, the internal electrode layers being alternately exposed to two edge faces of the multilayer chip opposite to each other. A rare earth element of a side margin has an ionic radius smaller than that of a rare earth element of a capacity section. The rare earth element of the side margin is a rare earth element when only the rare earth element is added to the side margin, or a rare earth element with a largest amount when rare earth elements are added to the side margin. The rare earth element of the capacity section is a rare earth element when only the rare earth element is added to the capacity section, or a rare earth element with a largest amount when rare earth elements are added to the capacity section.

The use of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and Molecular Layer Deposition (MLD) applied to powders and intermediates of the MLCC fabrication process can provide significant advantages. Coating metal particles within a defined range of ALD cycles is shown to provide enhanced oxidation resistance. Surprisingly, a very thin ALD layer was found to substantially increase sintering temperature.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a stacked body and external electrodes. The stacked body includes stacked dielectric layers and internal electrodes. The external electrodes are disposed on lateral surfaces of the stacked body and are connected to the internal electrodes. The dielectric layers include outer layer portions and an effective layer portion. Each outer layer portion is adjacent to a corresponding main surface of the stacked body. Each outer layer portion is a dielectric layer located between a corresponding main surface and an internal electrode closest to the main surface. A ratio of a dimension of the effective layer portion in a stacking direction to a dimension of the stacked body in the stacking direction is not less than about 53% and not more than about 83%.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a stacked body and external electrodes. The stacked body includes stacked dielectric layers and internal electrodes. The external electrodes are disposed on lateral surfaces of the stacked body and are connected to the internal electrodes. A ratio of min to max is not less than about 36% and not more than about 90%, where A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3, and A.sub.4 respectively denote the surface areas of first, second, third, and fourth external electrodes that are located on the first or second main surface of the stacked body.