Methods of forming a control panel include providing an electrically conductive substrate having a front surface. A first dielectric layer is disposed on the front surface of the substrate. A first electrode layer is disposed on a front surface of the first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer electrically isolates the first electrode layer from the substrate. The first electrode layer is in electrical communication with a switch circuit adapted to detect a change in a capacitance of the first electrode layer. A substantially transparent film can be provided to cover the electrode. The front surface of the substrate is a decorative surface substantially visible through the first dielectric layer, the first electrode layer, and the film.

In an electronic component, an outer electrode includes a sintered layer containing a sintered metal, an insulation layer containing an electric insulation material, and a Sn-containing layer containing Sn. The sintered layer extends from each of end surfaces of an element assembly onto at least one main surface thereof so as to cover each of the end surfaces of the element assembly. The insulation layer is directly provided on the sintered layer at each of the end surfaces of the element assembly so as to extend in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a side surface of the element assembly, and defines a portion of a surface of the outer electrode. The Sn-containing layer covers the sintered layer except for a portion of the sintered layer that is covered by the insulation layer, and constitutes another portion of the surface of the outer electrode.

In an electronic component, an outer electrode includes a sintered layer including a sintered metal, a reinforcement layer not containing Sn but including Cu or Ni, an insulation layer, and a Sn-containing layer. The sintered layer extends from each end surface of an element assembly onto at least one main surface thereof to cover each end surface of the element assembly. The reinforcement layer extends on the sintered layer and covers the sintered layer entirely. The insulation layer is directly provided on the reinforcement layer at each end surface of the element assembly, extends in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a side surface of the element assembly, and defines a portion of a surface of the outer electrode. The Sn-containing layer covers the reinforcement layer except for a portion of the reinforcement layer that is covered by the insulation layer, and defines another portion of the surface of the outer electrode.

Improved termination features for multilayer electronic components are disclosed. Monolithic components are provided with plated terminations whereby the need for typical thick-film termination stripes is eliminated or greatly simplified. Such termination technology eliminates many typical termination problems and enables a higher number of terminations with finer pitch, which may be especially beneficial on smaller electronic components. The subject plated terminations are guided and anchored by exposed internal electrode tabs and additional anchor tab portions which may optionally extend to the cover layers of a multilayer component. Such anchor tabs may be positioned internally or externally relative to a chip structure to nucleate additional metallized plating material. External anchor tabs positioned on top and bottom sides of a monolithic structure can facilitate the formation of wrap-around plated terminations.

A stacked MLCC capacitor is provided wherein the capacitor stack comprises multilayered ceramic capacitors wherein each multilayered ceramic capacitor comprises first electrodes and second electrodes in an alternating stack with a dielectric between each first electrode and each adjacent second electrode. The first electrodes terminate at a first side and the second electrodes second side. A first transient liquid phase sintering conductive layer is the first side and in electrical contact with each first electrode; and a second transient liquid phase sintering conductive layer is on the second side and in electrical contact with each second electrode.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.

A winder includes a winding mechanism, a chamber housing the winding mechanism, at least one vacuum pump, and a product case. The winding mechanism is configured to wind a belt-shaped raw film around a winding core. The belt-shaped raw film is composed of a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separating films. The at least one vacuum pump is configured to suck air into the chamber. The product case is configured to house a plurality of winding products each formed by winding the raw film with use of the winding mechanism disposed in the chamber.

There are provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component to be embedded in a board and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly, a multilayer ceramic electronic component to be embedded in a board, in which a thickness of a ceramic body in an entire chip is increased by not allowing for an increase in a thickness of an external electrode while forming a band surface of the external electrode to have a predetermined length or greater for connecting the external electrode to an external wiring through a via hole, such that chip strength may be improved and the occurrence of damage such as breakage, or the like may be prevented, and a manufacturing method thereof, may be provided.

A winder includes a winding mechanism, a chamber, a vacuum pump, a conveying route and a product case. The winding mechanism winds a belt-shaped raw film around a winding core, the belt-shaped raw film being composed of a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of separating films. The chamber houses the winding mechanism. The vacuum pump sucks air into the chamber. The conveying route has a sealed outer space outside the chamber, an inner space of the chamber leading to the outer space in the conveyance route. The product case is disposed in the conveying route to house a plurality of winding products each formed by winding the raw film with use of the winding mechanism.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.