Effect of Cr additions on the microstructural stability of Ni electrodes in ultra-thin BaTiO3 multilayer capacitors

Anton V. Polotai, Tae Hee Jeong, Gai Ying Yang, Elizabeth C. Dickey, Clive A. Randall, Pascal Pinceloup, Abhijit S. Gurav

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16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microstructural control in thin-layer multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) is one of the present day challenges to maintain an increase in capacitive volumetric efficiency. This present paper opens a series of investigations aimed to engineer the stability of ultra-thin Ni electrodes in BaTiO 3-based multilayer capacitors using refractory metal additions to Ni. Here, pure Ni and Ni-1 wt.% Cr alloy powders are used to produce 0805-type BME MLCCs with 300 active layers and with dielectric and electrode layer thickness around 1 μm. To investigate the continuity of Ni electrodes, both MLCC chips with pure and doped electrodes were sintered at different temperatures for 5 h. It is found that the continuity of Ni electrodes is improved most likely due to the effect of Cr on the low-melting point (Ni,Ba,Ti) interfacial alloy layer formation. The interfacial alloy layer is not observed when Cr is segregated at Ni-BaTiO3 interface in the Cr-doped samples, while it is found in all undoped samples. The interfacial alloy layer is believed to increase mass-transfer along the Ni-BaTiO3 interfaces facilitating an acceleration of Ni electrodes discontinuities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)261-268
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Electroceramics
Volume18
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2007

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Materials Chemistry

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