U.S. Philips Corporation

Antonius J M Nellissen

Mareike K Klee

Wilhelm A Groen

Willem R De Wild

Paul Van Oppen

Hans P Lobl

Gerrit P Van Der Beek

Nicolaas J A Van Veen

Erik C E Van Grunsven

The present invention provides a new type of thin-film capacitor which is insensitive to breakdown voltages during its mounting on a printed circuit board. Said capacitor has an insulating substrate having at least two internal electrode layers which are mutually separated by means of a dielectric layer. The substrate also has two end contacts each of which are electroconductively connected to one of said internal electrode layers. According to the invention, the capacitor also has breakable electrically conductive means, preferably formed as a metal layer, which means are electrically connected to said end contacts. The presence of said breakable electrically conductive means between said end contacts prevents damage due to electrical storage which can arise during the mounting of the capacitor on a printed circuit board.

Thin-film capacitor

A method of manufacturing a plurality of thin-film, surface-mountable, electronic components, comprising the following successive steps: providing a substantially planar, ceramic substrate having a first and second major surface which are mutually parallel, the substrate containing a series of mutually parallel slots which extend from the first major surface through to the second major surface, such slots serving to subdivide the substrate into elongated segments extending parallel to the slots and located between consecutive pairs thereof, each segment having two oppositely located walls extending along the edges of the adjacent slots, each segment carrying a thin-film electrode structure on at least one of its first and second major surfaces; with the aid of a three-dimensional lithographic technique, providing electrical contacts which extend along both walls of each segment and which make electrical contact with the electrode structure on each segment; severing the segments into individual block-shaped components by severing them along a series of division lines extending substantially perpendicular to the walls of each segment. This method can be used to manufacture various types of component, such as thin-film resistors, fuses, capacitors and inductors, but also passive networks, such as RC and LCR networks.

Method of manufacturing a plurality of electronic components

A thin-film capacitor comprises an electrically insulating substrate which is provided with at least two inner electrodes which are separated from each other by means of the dielectric layer. The capacitor also includes two end contacts which each electroconductively contact one of the inner electrodes. The electroconductive contact takes place via a through-connection which communicates exclusively with the main surface of the inner electrode. By virtue of this measure, it is achieved that the contact resistance between the end contacts and the inner electrodes is relatively low and reproducible. As a result, also the value of the ESR of the thin-film capacitor is low, so that the capacitor can very suitably be used for high-frequency applications.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Antonius J M Nellissen