The aim of the present invention lies in providing a dielectric composition which has a relatively high dielectric constant of 800 or greater, and which has relatively low dielectric loss of 4% or less when a DC bias of at least 8 V/ym is applied, and also in providing a dielectric element employing said dielectric composition, an electronic component, and a laminated electronic component. A dielectric composition having a main component represented by (Bi.sub.aNa.sub.bSr.sub.cBa.sub.d) (α.sub.xTi.sub.1-x) O.sub.3, characterized in that a is at least one selected from Zr and Sn; and a, b, c, d and x satisfy the following: 0.140≦a≦0.390, 0.140≦b≦0.390, 0.200≦c≦0.700, 0.020≦d≦0.240, 0.020≦x≦0.240 and 0.950<a+b+c+d≦1.050.

The aim of the present invention lies in providing a dielectric composition which has a relatively high dielectric constant of 800 or greater, and which has relatively low dielectric loss of 4% or less when a DC bias of at least 8 V/ym is applied, and also in providing a dielectric element employing said dielectric composition, an electronic component, and a laminated electronic component. A dielectric composition having a main component represented by (Bi.sub.aNa.sub.bSr.sub.cBa.sub.d) (α.sub.xTi.sub.1-x) O.sub.3, characterized in that a is at least one selected from Zr and Sn; and a, b, c, d and x satisfy the following: 0.140≦a≦0.390, 0.140≦b≦0.390, 0.200≦c≦0.700, 0.020≦d≦0.240, 0.020≦x≦0.240 and 0.950<a+b+c+d≦1.050.

Electronic devices are produced from dielectric compositions comprising a mixture of precursor materials that, upon firing, forms a dielectric material comprising a barium-strontium-titanium-tungsten-silicon oxide.

A component body is obtained by alternately laminating and sintering a plurality of semiconductor ceramic layers formed of a SrTiO.sub.3-based grain boundary insulated semiconductor ceramic and a plurality of internal electrode layers. The average grain diameter of crystal grains is 1.0 ∝m or less and a coefficient of variation representing variations in a grain diameter of the crystal grains is 30% or less. To prepare the semiconductor ceramic an Sr compound, a Ti compound and a donor compound are weighed in predetermined amounts and mixed/pulverized. A calcined powder is prepared and a dispersant is added with an acceptor compound to the calcined powder. The resulting mixture is wet-mixed and a heat-treated powder is prepared. The heat-treated powder is formed into slurry and subjected to a filter treatment. The filtered slurry is used to prepare a semiconductor ceramic. The resulting laminated semiconductor ceramic capacitor has a varistor function having excellent durability, which can suppress a reduction of insulating properties and ensure desired electrical characteristics even when ESD occurs repeatedly.

A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including a plurality of dielectric layers stacked on each other and having first and second surfaces opposing each other in a first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction, parallel to a stacking direction and connected to the first and second surfaces, and fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in a third direction and connected to the first to fourth surfaces, first and second external electrodes disposed on the first and second surfaces of the ceramic body, respectively, first and second conductive thin films disposed on at least one of the third and fourth surfaces, connected to the first and second external electrodes, respectively, and having a thickness lower than that of the first and second external electrodes, and first and second solder preventing films disposed on the first and second external electrodes, respectively.

A dielectric assembly solid dielectric elements within a liquid or solid matrix material. The dielectric assembly may be manufactured by pressing a dielectric powder to form pressed dielectric elements, sintering the pressed dielectric elements to form the solid dielectric elements, and assembling the solid dielectric elements within the matrix material to form the dielectric assembly. The solid dielectric elements can be specifically oriented (e.g., in one or more tiled layers) or randomly oriented, and the dielectric assemblies can be molded and/or machined into desired 3D geometries. The dielectric assemblies can be relatively large (e.g., >1 mm.sup.3) while having bulk dielectric constants higher than conventional slurries and composites formed of dielectric powder in a liquid or solid matrix.

A dielectric assembly solid dielectric elements within a liquid or solid matrix material. The dielectric assembly may be manufactured by pressing a dielectric powder to form pressed dielectric elements, sintering the pressed dielectric elements to form the solid dielectric elements, and assembling the solid dielectric elements within the matrix material to form the dielectric assembly. The solid dielectric elements can be specifically oriented (e.g., in one or more tiled layers) or randomly oriented, and the dielectric assemblies can be molded and/or machined into desired 3D geometries. The dielectric assemblies can be relatively large (e.g., >1 mm.sup.3) while having bulk dielectric constants higher than conventional slurries and composites formed of dielectric powder in a liquid or solid matrix.

A dielectric ceramic composition contains dielectric particles containing a main component represented by a composition formula (Ba.sub.1-x-ySr.sub.xCa.sub.y).sub.m(Ti.sub.1-zZr.sub.z)O.sub.3 and grain boundaries present between the dielectric particles. The values of m, x, y, and z in the composition formula are all molar ratios. In the composition formula, 0.9≤m≤1.4, 0≤x<1.0, 0<y≤1.0, 0.9≤(x+y)≤1.0, and 0.9≤z≤1.0 are satisfied. The dielectric particles contain specific structural particles having a predetermined intragranular structure, and each of the specific structural particles intragranularly includes a first region and a second region having different Ca concentrations from each other. C2/C1 is less than 0.8 in which C1 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the first region and C2 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the second region.

A dielectric ceramic composition contains dielectric particles containing a main component represented by a composition formula (Ba.sub.1-x-ySr.sub.xCa.sub.y).sub.m(Ti.sub.1-zZr.sub.z)O.sub.3 and grain boundaries present between the dielectric particles. The values of m, x, y, and z in the composition formula are all molar ratios. In the composition formula, 0.9≤m≤1.4, 0≤x<1.0, 0<y≤1.0, 0.9≤(x+y)≤1.0, and 0.9≤z≤1.0 are satisfied. The dielectric particles contain specific structural particles having a predetermined intragranular structure, and each of the specific structural particles intragranularly includes a first region and a second region having different Ca concentrations from each other. C2/C1 is less than 0.8 in which C1 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the first region and C2 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the second region.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor include: a ceramic body including first and second surfaces opposing each other and third and fourth surfaces connecting the first and second surfaces; a plurality of internal electrodes disposed inside the ceramic body and exposed to the first and second surfaces, the plurality internal electrodes each having one end exposed to the third or fourth surface; and first and second side margin portions disposed on sides of the internal electrodes exposed to the first and second surfaces. A dielectric composition of the first and second side margin portions is different from a dielectric composition of the ceramic body, and a dielectric constant of the first and second side margin portions is lower than a dielectric constant of the ceramic body.