F. Yeung et al., THERMAL-SHOCK RESISTANCE OF MINIATURIZED MULTILAYER CERAMIC CAPACITORS, Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics, 5(6), 1994, pp. 339-343
The thermal shock resistance of miniaturized multilayer ceramic capaci
tors (MLCs), of sizes ''0402'', ''0603'', ''0805'' and ''1206'', was i
nvestigated by comparing the leakage currents before and after thermal
shock. It was generally found that smaller capacitors have a higher t
hermal shock resistance than larger ones. The ''0402'' MLC possesses a
thermal shock resistance in excess of 420 degrees C. The linear inter
dependence of thermal shock resistance and reciprocal of half thicknes
s, as predicted by conventional thermal shock analysis, was not observ
ed. Instead, the thermal shock resistance of an MLC was found to be in
versely proportional to the total area of its ceramic surface. This co
nfirms that pre-existing flaws on the ceramic surface dominate the cra
ck initiation process and are therefore primarily responsible for dete
rmining the thermal shock resistance of an MLC.