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Our next featured age fotostock photographer, Enrique Algarra, is involved in photography at different levels. As a professor, he is directly involved in the formation of the young, aspiring photographers of tomorrow. As a photographer, his images show a curious, playful, unconstrained and at times almost obsessive vision of the world. Algarra comments that he started taking photos at the age of 7. You can still feel the spirit of that 7 year old in his images that spy on strangely human mannequins, the moving legs of blurred passersby's, and the odd places that can be found just around the corner…if you're looking. You can see more of his images here at age fotostock or in either of these personal blogs, www.enriquealgarra.blogspot.com or www.paquetesdefotos.blogspot.com.
Q: What 3 words best describe you?
A: I think Enrique, Algarra, and Photographer.
Q: What artistic influences are in your work?
A: I'm interested in film and photography and they give me ideas, according to my mood. Life is full of things and places to find inspiration.
Q: What is your favorite lens? Why?
A: In the seventies, I was a fan of the 20 mm because I really liked Pete Turner. Now I still enjoy the wide angles, but I'm just as likely to grab a fisheye as the 600 mm, it all depends on the day and my mood.
Q: What's the Image that you are still hoping to make?
A: I'm not a photojournalist and I'm not trying to become a legend, so I have nothing planned. I'd just like to make at least one photo a day that makes me feel good.
Q: Why did you choose age fotostock to represent your photography?
A: I chose age fotostock for the proximity, and by that I don't just mean that Valencia is close to Barcelona. I like to put faces on the names of the people who are on the other side of my computer screen working with me. Age fotostock has always treated me very well, and I appreciate that.
Q: Based on your experience as a photography professor, what future changes await us in photography?
A: The changes have already come, and are here to stay. Professionally, the world has been digital for some time now, but even as files and cameras improve, the most important thing is to improve how we think, our ideas. Photography schools must rethink their focus and develop different educational content.
Q: Are your current students the same as your students from the past or do you see changes?
A: The students are not at all the same. They grew up in the digital world, and some things that have been very difficult for older photographers to learn are completely natural for them.
Q: In your opinion, what is the best way to learn photography?
A: At this point, I think you can learn digital technology quickly; it's a much simpler process than classic photography, which is an advantage. However, everything that isn't technique is as difficult to learn as before. It's a matter of bringing your own vision to the world through your images, digital or not, and developing a mature vision is not easy. You must try to understand the things around you in order to photograph them. Photography schools should not only teach color profiles and how to master the needed software, they must also prepare future photographers to be able to express their ideas to the world with their images.
Q: What is the best photographic advice that you have ever received?
A: My first teacher once told me that photography is like a puppy, if you take care of it, it will never abandon you. I took his advice, I don't have a dog, but I've been taking pictures since I was seven, and the truth is that photography has been a good companion. That's in part thanks to you guys.
Q: If you weren't a photographer, what would you be?
A: I would like to be anything that would free me from depending on the latest software, firmware or operating system and all those things that sometimes make you feel like a slave. I think if I became a writer I would happily use just a pencil and paper and I would be a little more free. But that must await for a different incarnation ...
Bonus Question: I've heard your students talk about the so-called "Algarratype." Can you explain what that is?
A: In the past, when a student took a photo that was too "inspired" in my photos, the other students would tell him that he had made an "Algarratype." But luckily, that doesn't happen anymore, now I am copying them (ha ha).
The images of our next featured age fotostock photographer, Ton Koene, might provoke a wide range of emotions in our readers. What they won't provoke is indifference. This series, "Doctors at the frontline," documents the work of Doctors without Borders at a hospital in Afghanistan. And, more powerfully, it tells us something about the lives of women and children in that country. You can read more about this hospital here and you can see more of Koene's images at www.tonkoene.nl.
At a time when microstocks have started selling photos for editorial use, images like these should invite photographers to a moment of serious reflection. The value of these images is their very serious and realistic vision of the day-to-day reality in an Afghan hospital. Their value is the careful composition and storytelling, making them images that communicate powerfully, not sensationally. Their value is the trust the photographer has developed with the hospital and ONG to gain access and the careful planning behind photojournalism in a conflict zone. Finally, the value of these images is the financial cost of a trip and long stay in Afghanistan and the risk of harm that the photographer has accepted.
Should a photographer´s blood, sweat, toil & tears be available for a 14 cents download? If we sell such valuable images for pocket change, won´t the day come when these valuable and unique images cease to exist?
Q: Why did you choose to be a photographer?
A: It is fun. You have no boss, no personnel, and can be creative and free as a bird while travelling the world.
Q: How do you get funding for your trips and projects?
A: It depends, sometimes I seek funding for projects, but mostly I invest profits from my previous projects to initiate new projects.
Q: What equipment do you carry when you're packing light?
A: I always take: two Canon 5D, one 24 mm 1.4, one 24 mm-70 mm 2.8, one fisheye, flash and chargers. I have no telephoto lens.
Q: Where is your favourite place to photograph?
A: Outside, in all weather conditions. I love the tropics to shoot. I also shoot a lot in conflict areas where the emotions in people are stronger.
Q: Where are you still hoping to go?
A: There is no limit. I would like to go to places which are not photographed too often.
Q: Have you ever faced great difficulty in gaining access for a story? How did you manage it?
A: I always have problems in photographing as the context I shoot is violent and corrupt. It requires good preparation and being transparent in what you want to do. Also, you must talk to the right people and take good advice.
Q: Do you feel that viewers nowadays have become desensitized to images of war, refugees, etc or are they still impacted by these images?
A: Yes, and often these images are indeed cheap. But a good photograph is always powerful, no matter how often it is being done....but you have to be creative and original...
Q: Which is your favourite of your features?
A: Any feature which shows the strength of people in difficult situations. I like the transvestites in Pakistan as the images are good, but it was also difficult to make.
A: AGE has a wide network of distribution which helps my sales and income.
Q: What is the best or worst photographic advice that you have ever received?
A: The worst advice: Do not start doing it, it's hard to get an income (which is true, but who cares).The best advice: If a picture is not good enough, you are not close enough (Robert Capa).
A: Rich.
To wrap up our month on stock photography productions, we would like to feature the lifestyle images of age fotostock photographer, Stuart Pearce. Since he moved from the front of the camera (as a model) to the back (as a photographer), Stuart Pearce has been shootings families, couples, business and more in his island home of Mallorca. His images of people are relaxed, happy and warm; as though he was photographing his family... Stuart's specialties also include yacht and travel photography. You can see more of Stuart's work at age fotostock or at www.stuartpearce.com.
Q: Choose 3 words that describe you.
A: Imaginative, Loyal, Spontaneous
A: As a child, my family and I were often used as models in the very early days of stock photography. When the opportunity arose to be behind the camera instead, I knew I'd found what I'd always wanted to do, made better by not having to smile for 8 or more hours a day.
Q: Was it a good decision to become a photographer?
A: It was the only choice, photography has given me freedom and taken me to the 4 corners & 7 seas of the planet. I've met some amazing people, some famous, some just very funny and many less fortunate, but nonetheless happy. I've shot countries, yachts, houses, food and people and still enjoy the great variety of my work today as much as the day I started.
Q: Are you more technical or intuitive in your photography?
A: Much more intuitive, it took me years to get the hang of the technical side and I'm sure there's still a great deal that I could learn.
Q: What's your favorite lens and why?
A: Canon 24-70mm f2.8, not too wide, not too long and has always been my workhorse.
Q: How do you achieve the warm and natural feeling which characterizes your lifestyle images of models?
A: I try to find models that can act as well as model; this helps add authenticity to my images. Although directing models has never been easy for me, I know what I want, so I direct the first few shots and then usually there's a lot of adlibbing from there on, which produces the best and most natural shots. The lighting I use is an unusual amalgamation of hmi, halogen, natural light and flash, arranging them all so that it's not too noticeable. On exterior shoots, I only use natural light, much easier!
Q: How do you get your subjects to sign model releases?
A: I have always paid my models and the precondition is for them to release their rights to my images.
A: I choose AGE over 20 years ago because of Alfonso, who has always been passionate about our industry, as well as supportive and fair.
A: Best advice shooting interiors; "smack it with flash and leave it open for a fortnight at f8."
A: I've been a photographer for a long time so I'm probably unemployable, but I do like observing people, so perhaps a freelance window cleaner.
Choosing and directing your models in a lifestyle shoot is only half of the game in stock photography. You must also find a good location and props for the images. If you try to work in conditions like those detailed in the "Love it not..." list below, you´ll be fighting an uphill battle. Make it easier on yourself by preparing the most advantageous setting posible, following these tips from our own experience.
Here are some examples of luminous, domestic settings that we love. Notice the absence of distracting elements and also notice how a few simple props can create a feeling of "home."
Love it!
Luminous locations and natural light complemented with minimal flash fill and reflectors.
Continuous source lighting such as cool lights (fluorescent) or LEDs. When you need a little more light to open up shadows and to create volumes, these lights allow you to see the light available to you and don´t heat up like other lights do.
Natural environments with simple details to create an atmosphere, without excessive clutter in the scene.
Even, balanced tones and pastel colors in your models' clothing which can be easily distinguished from the background but which do not appear dark in the luminous setting. Clothing that is more neutral in style (something that will not go out of style next year).
The newest models of technological devices if used as props.
"Neutral" props that could be found around the world (a houseplant is better than an expensive looking Italian vase). Props that are incorporated into the scene in natural, non-distracting ways.
Lots of angles, frames and photos to give our editors more choices, rather than long elaborate preparations which result in few, static shots.
Actively explored negative (copy) space above, below, to the left and to the right of the subject.
Spontaneous ideas and moments that a location inspires. Don't limit yourself to a strict schedule and linear way of thinking.
Love it not…
Locations that are unknown or not easily available to you… will you know how to direct your models properly in the environment you are shooting? If you don't, you better bring a guide or find an environment that you do know.
When a photographer has rushed through a list of topics and/or locations at the expense of exploring each idea with different angles, lenses, models, props, etc.
The same lens and point of view during the entire shoot.
Sweating the "small stuff." Don't obsess about very little things like plugs, cables, etc. that can be corrected in Photoshop, at the expense of progressing in the shoot. We are more interested in your ideas.
Dark or extremely distracting backgrounds that make it difficult to easily and clearly see the model in the photo.
Elaborate lighting setups that limit the photographer´s mobility and slow down the entire production. We aren´t a fan of tungsten/halogen lights because they get very hot and consume a lot of energy.
Strobe or studio flash lights are more difficult to work with because you can´t see the light that you must use. This increases the possibilities of overly bright spots and renegade shadows, and slows down the work pace considerably.
Lighting that creates dark shadows and areas on the model's face and body.
Clothing with obvious logos or distinctive designs such as Adidas shoes or objects that are protected by copyright or trademark, such as the Rubik cube. Big no-no.
Women (or men) in unnecessarily revealing clothing that will offend more conservative markets and limit the photo's overall marketability.
A model wearing the same clothes during the whole shoot. If clothing is not your thing, check out the styling links below or hire a stylist.
There´s a lot more to know about location, lighting and styling, so we´ve included this list of additional resources.
Lighting Lifestyle Stock Photos!
What are Continuous Lighting Sources?
Portrait Photography using continuous lighting (video)
Styling tips by Yuri Arcurs
Production Values: How to Shoot Commercial Quality Images (on styling and props)
One of the first steps in preparing a shoot is to find the models. Depending on your background and your budget, these might be professional, amateur, family, friends or even people off the street.
Should I work with professional models?
The value of a professional model has less to do with their good looks and more to do with the ability to pose naturally and communicate different emotions clearly. Working with a professional will ensure that you get the good images quickly and frequently, since their experience enables them to anticipate what you want, avoid unflattering positions/expressions and come prepared to work hard during a shoot. Modeling fees vary by country/city, so you can contact a local model agency in your area to find out the cost. If you are just starting to shoot model-released people pictures, you might prefer to practice first with friends or family.What if I can't afford to pay a professional?
Working with free or low cost models is something that some stock photographers have made into an art form, by dedicating specific sections on their websites to attracting and instructing potential models to be. Generally, photographers that work with amateur models will offer free images/prints for portfolio, the promise of payment after a certain number of successful test sessions or some other exchange. To avoid future hassles, be sure that the model clearly understands what they will receive and what is expected of them (more below).What to keep in mind with amateurs?
If working with amateurs (including family members and friends), you must explain clearly that they will need to sign a model release. A model release (our standard releases here) is a legal agreement between you and a model that you may use their photos for commercial/editorial purposes around the world. They should understand that their photos will be seen on the internet and sold for any use (excluding sensitive, derogatory, pornographic, or illicit uses) both now and in the future (even if they are no longer your girl/boyfriend/wife/husband!). Also keep in mind that amateurs might not know how to pose for photos. YouTube has a number of videos on "Model posing" or "modeling tips" that might give them ideas, although be aware that there's a big difference between fashion modeling and stock modeling. You should be prepared to direct them during your photo-session. To do that, you´ll need to know what photos you´d like to make and how to communicate that to your models. For example, maybe you want a photo of an senior couple on a sofa that communicates security and comfort. You should tell them where to sit, explain the feeling of security that you´re trying to get, encourage them to smile, look at each other/or the camera, and keep talking to them until they relax and begin to seem natural in the situation you´ve created. To achieve this with amateurs/nonmodels, a photographer must have the ability to connect easily with people, put them at ease and inspire confidence.
If you´re still not really sure how to choose your models, don´t worry, we´ll be posting a top 10 dos and don´ts for models list next...


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Why Did Gene drop Christopher Pike?
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August 8 2012, 02:54 AM
Re: Why Did Gene drop Christopher Pike?
Gary7 wrote:
I beg to differ. I think they were similar, but not exactly the same. Kirk was more serious in the beginning, but he also had a sense of humor and at least cracked a smile from time to time.
First off, a lot of that was a difference in the actors' interpretations. Pike has a few lines that could've come off more whimsically had Shatner delivered them, like "Now you're talking like a doctor, bartender."
Second, as
Nerys Myk
says, we can't assume the way Pike was portrayed in "The Cage" was his normal personality. His crew was recovering from a violent incident that had taken several lives, including that of the captain's yeoman. He was in mourning, he was bitter, and he was wondering whether it was all worth it. But as we saw at the end of the episode, his "vacation" on Talos IV shattered his illusions about another life being better than what he already had, and he returned far more content than he'd been at the start.
Hober Mallow wrote:
While I think that makes Pike more realistic, more human, for the kind of adventure show NBC and Roddenberry wanted, I think in the end they needed Kirk to be the captain, someone who isn't going to question his own command abilities.
Are you kidding? Kirk questioned himself all the time. In "The Naked Time" his big freakout was about resenting the burdens of command and just wanting a woman to hold and a beach to walk on -- that sounds exactly like how Pike felt in "The Cage." In "Balance of Terror" he expressed plenty of doubts about his command judgment and needed McCoy to talk some sense into him, just as Pike needed Boyce.
And realistic and human was
what Roddenberry wanted. His goal from the start was to make an SF show that was on the same level as the most acclaimed, serious, naturalistic dramas of the era, as far as possible from the cartoony, fanciful stuff like
Lost in Space
. He used comparisons to the acclaimed drama
Wagon Train
to pitch it and the series bible encouraged writers to approach it with the same character realism and credibility they'd bring to writing for
or the documentary-style police drama
Naked City
. The show strayed from that somewhat in the latter seasons, and the movies even more so, which has led to the modern perception of the TOS cast as larger-than-life space-opera heroes. But they were meant to be very naturalistic characters, believable people doing a job that just happened to be in space, and in the first season you can see that very clearly.
Written Worlds
-- Christopher L. Bennett's blog and webpage
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subset: commoncrawl


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This release is available in French.
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT), the formation of blood clots in the lower limbs, is the third-most common vascular disease in North America after heart attack and stroke, and is a frequent complication in hospitalized patients. DVT is a potentially serious condition that can lead to rapid death from pulmonary embolism if untreated, and has become such a serious health concern that the U.S. Surgeon General and the Canadian Safer Healthcare Now! coalition both recently issued highly publicized calls to action to reduce the number of cases of DVT in high risk groups, in part by improving the adoption of preventative measures like the early administration of blood thinners.
However, researchers at McGill University and the affiliated Jewish General Hospital along with colleagues from Universit de Montral, McMaster University and other institutions warn that, beyond the well-known risks of pulmonary embolism, DVT patients also face postthrombotic syndrome (PTS), a poorly understood, long-term complication not addressed by traditional treatment approaches like blood thinners. Their conclusions, derived from a large, multicentre Canadian study, were published in the November issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study followed 387 patients at eight hospital centres in Quebec and Ontario for two years, the researchers said, the first multicentre study of PTS ever undertaken in North America.
"Incredibly, we found as many as 43 per cent of the patients developed postthrombotic syndrome, and one-third of those had moderate to severe cases," said McGill's Dr. Susan R. Kahn, lead author of the study. "The syndrome is characterized by persistent leg pain and swelling, and in severe cases, patients can develop painful leg ulcers which are very difficult to treat.
"Contrary to popular b
|Contact: Mark Shainblum
McGill University


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D.C. offers permits to breweries to allow on-site drinking, tasting
Customers of breweries that possess the new permit, available immediately, will be allowed to purchase and consume alcohol on-site.
Local volleyball permits not so easy to acquire
Volleyball can be a tough sport, but the teams that play at the Lincoln Memorial face off long before they take to the courts.
Road kill app coming in Montana
Salvaging roadkill for the dinner table is not only legal starting this month in Montana, but state officials plan to let drivers who accidentally kill big game to simply print out permits at home that allow them to harvest the meat.
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Watch ABC7 News at 4!ABC7 gives you MORE news in your afternoons with an extra hour, an hour earlier! Watch to see what's trending in your community and world every weekday afternoon at 4pm right after back to back "Hot Bench" shows at 3pm on ABC7.


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ValerieFollow Valerie
living in palm beaach gardens, Florida United States Of America
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3 tours
8 countries
Following 0 people
Followed by 1 person
Valerie liked Veronica Arguello's photo
Alex posted on Valerie's (Valerie) profile
Hi Valerie, I will be traveling from South Florida as well with a couple of friends. Join the group that Nick started (www.facebook.com/groups/330217287064639 ) and you will start to get to know some of the gang!
Posted almost 3 years ago
almost 3 years ago
Hi Alex, although my profile states Florida as my state i will be traveling from Haiti..I did join the facebook group page.. can wait to meet you guys...
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Why is the Corpus Christi RTA still running the Harbor Ferry?
CORPUS CHRISTI - The Harbor Ferry set a ridership record, which on face value sounds like success. The ferry season, normally Memorial Day to Labor Day, was extended to spring break to Thanksgiving. But the extended season isn't the only asterisk to consider in assessing the ferry's performance.
Fare revenue covered 15 percent of the operating cost, which on face value sounds like failure. Tourism officials jump quickly to the defense of the Harbor Ferry. They see it as a loss leader that gives visitors something to do. The visitors spend money here, which generates sales tax revenue here. And sales tax is the primary revenue source of the ferry's sponsor, the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority.
"While the fare doesn't cover the cost of it, the impact of record summer visitation increased sales tax revenues and will continue to do so," Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Keith Arnold told Rhiannon Meyers of the Caller-Times. Arnold's statement is true, safe and clever. It associates the ferry's negative revenue with two positives — record summer visitation and increased sales tax revenue — without actually crediting the ferry for them.
That's because the ferry deserves no credit for those good things. The ferry is a nice attraction but we doubt that potential visitors would change their travel plans if it ceased to exist. So why shouldn't it?
RTA officials say, with straight faces, that its purpose is transportation and that tourism is only a bonus. The ferry links the city marina to the attractions on the other side of the ship channel — the Texas State Aquarium, Lexington aircraft carrier museum and shops and restaurants. The RTA's trolley buses over Harbor Bridge accomplish the same link, more conveniently and reliably. A bus ride is less of a lark, though the ferry can't offer the bus ride's view of Corpus Christi Bay from atop the bridge.
It's not fair to judge the ferry on how it would fare as a non-subsidized private business. But it wouldn't survive as one. The deteriorating hulk of the Gulf Clipper next to Marina Del Sol and the absence of the Captain Clark from Corpus Christi Bay should be evidence enough — for longtime residents with long-term memory who can recall those two tour boats in their heyday. They were for pleasure, not transportation, but the same can be said of the Harbor Ferry by all but RTA officials.
The ferry's increased ridership is good news, the extended season notwithstanding. But it calls to mind former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher's open disdain of his competitors' ill-advised strategy of entering unprofitable new markets to increase market share.
The ferry appears to be too much effort for too little return. It made $56,076 in fares off 52,951 passenger trips, at an operating cost of $385,197. In the ferry's defense, it could be argued that bus fares likewise don't begin to cover the cost of running the RTA's buses.
The key difference is that the buses REALLY ARE for transportation, the RTA's core mission. As transportation, tourism or both, the Harbor Ferry is an experimental tangent.
The experiment has been under way since 1993. If the RTA feels compelled to expend effort on non-core endeavors, perhaps now it's time to try something new.
Since tourism apparently is the primary beneficiary of the ferry, then perhaps the RTA instead could distribute $5 apiece to 65,824 visitors. (That's $385,197 in ferry operating expense minus $56,076 in fare revenue divided by $5.) The visitors most likely would spend the money while they're here. And, again, they'd be unlikely to leave early for lack of a Harbor Ferry.
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✔ Pick of the Pack
Comedy: 'Please Don't Beat Me Up'
News reports about bullying often leave out a crucial detail: There's money in being someone's childhood punching bag. Films ("Diary of a Wimpy Kid") and books ("It Gets Better") on the topic are box-office hits and best-sellers, and political features about bullying (involving, say, a presidential candidate) generate massive page views online. It's no less a repugnant habit, in other words, but there could be a silver lining to surviving it and telling others how to do the same. Full-time scientist and part-time storyteller Adam Ruben is further evidence of this. Not only did he survive a Darwinistic childhood, but his riotous and heartfelt one-man show, "Please Don't Beat Me Up: Stories and Artifacts from Adolescence," is one of the top solo performances in recent memory. Go for the stories about peeing your pants; stay for the life lessons.
Sunday at District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW
Web: www.dcartscenter.org
Arts and Crafts: Creating a memory book of your family's story
The increasing popularity of tracing one's genealogy tracks nicely with the rise of the Internet. Today, finding out of you're related to a long-dead Civil War general or a Wild West general store owner is as simple as entering your name into a genealogy site's search engine. What then? How many of us have reams of fascinating historical documents filed away in manila folders awaiting, hanging on the family tree? The National Archives' Patti Hann, an expert on archival research, can help you make your genealogy research into something presentable.
Saturday at the National Archives, Constitution Avenue NW between Seventh and Ninth streets.
Advance reservations are required.
Phone: 202/357-5333
Web: www.archives.gov/nae/news
Food: Safeway BBQ Battle
This weekend marks the Safeway BBQ Battle's 20th anniversary. Incidentally, it's also the hottest June D.C. has seen in years. So it's fair to ask — Is it too hot to spend your weekend at a block party eating barbecue? The answer, fellow foodies, is no. Weekend temperatures likely won't break 90 degrees, and they certainly won't keep some of the nation's best grill masters from displaying their talents downtown. There's a contest for every type of meat this year, too, from lamb to chicken and spare ribs to baby backs. The event also features cooking demonstrations, free samples, BBQ gear for sale and events for children. So lather on the sunscreen, buy some batteries for your portable fan and starve yourself the night before.
Saturday and Sunday at Pennsylvania Avenue NW between Ninth and 14th streets.
Phone: 202/828-3099


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MotoGP Austin, April 19-21, 2013
View Single Post
Carbon-Based Humanoid
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: RGV Texas
Oddometer: 5,000
Originally Posted by
bk brkr baker
Yeah, I went , had a blast, refused to overpay for drinks or food at the track , got by on my carried in water and some tomales from a vendor.
As has been said the track is awesome and I rarely use the word.
I expected some carnage at Turn One
, it just looked like trouble to me, glad it didn't hang up the racers.
I agree that not all was perfect , it never is.
My buddy and I tend to see opportunities where others see problems.
Such as almost none of the parking people had radios. We buzzed by the guy at the entrance to Tunnel 2 to get into the interior parking in the Honda lot where we parked all 3 days having never spent a dime on parking. We also availed ourselves of some fine seats in the Honda Grandstand for the Moto 2 and Moto GP races by the head-down and move with cover method. In fact for all 3 days I never had a ticket ripped or even asked to show.
Don't try these methods yourself, results may vary.
So did I. I saw only one rider go down on T1. The weight shift at the crest at full lean would have had me skeeered. I really got an appreciation for it when I went down to the grandstand area and saw the bikes flying up to T1.
A drunk driver killed someone I love
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Holy Crap, it's April?! We should probably wrap this GIF Madness thing up already, huh?
Emerging from the rubble and chaos of hard-fought battles for supremacy, it's now down to our two most grizzled veterans, BATTLE KITTY vs. PARKOUR MASTER.
"Wait til he's in mid leap. That's when you plug 'im."
"No one can defeat my Sack of Potatoes Techniiiiique!"
Two shall enter; one shall leave. ARE YOU NOT AMUSED?!! Choose your champion below!


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Post: Comic Edits: Creativity with Rearranged PixelsSomething about the sheer rapidity of this edit and the wobbly lipstick lines made this a winner.
Guys, I don't even
RoyceSraphim wrote: »5 stars for reminding me how awesome Disney Animation once was.
Man, if I could get a 3D printer that could fabricate a vagina, I'd never leave the house again.
When I was a lad I rate four dozen eggs
every morning to help me get large


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Farewell Auntie Doris
Auntie Doris has died - having notched up 101 years on planet Earth.
My Auntie Doris was born in 1909 when motor cars were limited to 20mph - she lived to see Richard Noble break the land speed record in a car in 1997 when it achieved a speed of 763mph. She was born when man was first taking to the air and lived to see man walk on the moon. She saw the arrival of the talkies, television (3D television), the computer and many other 'modern marvels'. I had a long chat with her on her 100th birthday, recording it for posterity but even I was caught out by her longevity. When I asked her if she remembered the celebrations at the end of the war she simply asked "Which war?". She'd seen two world wars of course - and had even watched Zepplins fly over her home town of Rugby. What was the greatest invention of her lifetime? She thought the TV but admitted that gas fires and central heating had done much to rid life of the drudgery and dirt of making and lighting coal fires each day. (I asked her 94-year-old sister, Olive, years earlier the same question and without hesitation she answered 'Tarmac'. She said people today couldn't imagine the way dirt and mud was brought in off the street into homes before the arrival of Tarmac). Doris experienced much sadness in her life of course, not least the death of her sisters, brothers and husband. "My memory is going" she told me on her 100th birthday. "I forget some things but not the things I want to forget". Rest In Peace Doris.
Published: August 17, 2010
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This is a touching tribute to a great lady who I will remember with immense affection. One of my fondest memories is her telling me she had solved the mystery of crop circles! She told me how she had left her dustbin lid on the grass and it left a perfect circular formation behind. Good old Doris.
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text:
A multilayer electronic component includes a plurality of dielectric layers interleaved with a plurality of internal electrode elements and a plurality of internal anchor tabs. Portions of the internal electrode elements and anchor tabs are exposed along the periphery of the electronic component in one or more aligned columns. Each exposed portion is within a predetermined distance from other exposed portions in a given column such that bridged terminations may be formed by depositing one or more plated termination materials over selected of the respectively aligned columns. Internal anchor tabs may be provided and exposed in prearranged relationships with other exposed conductive portions to help nucleate metallized plating material along the periphery of a device. External anchor tabs or lands may be provided to form terminations that extend to top and/or bottom surfaces of the device. Selected of the conductive elements may be formed by a finite volume percentage of ceramic material for enhanced durability, and external lands may be thicker than internal conductive elements and/or may also be embedded in top and/or bottom component surfaces. A variety of potential internal electrode configurations are possible including ones configured for orientation-insensitive component mounting and for high density peripheral termination interdigitated capacitors.
1. A method of forming plated terminations, said method comprising the following steps:
providing at least one electronic component, said at least one electronic component comprising a plurality of dielectric layers selectively interleaved with a plurality of internal conductive elements, wherein selected portions of the internal conductive elements are exposed at selected locations along the at least one electronic component;
providing a plating solution; and
immersing said at least one electronic component in said plating solution such that a termination material is deposited at prearranged exposed portions of the internal conductive elements in said at least one electronic component.
2. The method of
3. The method of
providing an electrolytic plating solution with an electrical bias; and
immersing said at least one electronic component in said electrolytic plating solution such that an additional termination material is deposited over the termination material deposited at the initial immersing step.
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. A method of forming plated terminations, said method comprising the following steps:
providing at least one electronic component, said at least one electronic component comprising a plurality of dielectric layers selectively interleaved with a plurality of internal conductive elements, wherein selected portions of the internal conductive elements are exposed at selected locations along the at least one electronic component;
subjecting said at least one electronic component to a predetermined level of mechanical abrasion in order to effect a general rounding of edges and corners of said at least one electronic components;
providing a plating solution; and
immersing said at least one electronic component in said plating solution such that a termination material is deposited at prearranged exposed portions of the internal conductive elements in said at least one electronic component.
11. The method of
12. A method of forming plated terminations, said method comprising the following steps:
providing a manufactured sheet assembly of interleaved dielectric layers and conductive layers, said sheet assembly characterized by respective top and bottom surfaces thereof;
dicing said manufactured sheet assembly in multiple cut locations, whereby each cut location is effected in a generally V-shaped fashion at said top and bottom surfaces of the manufactured sheet assembly, said dicing step resulting in a plurality of electronic components each having at least one edge thereof angled off;
providing a plating solution; and
immersing said at least one electronic component in said plating solution such that a termination material is deposited at prearranged exposed portions of the internal conductive elements in said at least one electronic component.
This application claims the benefit of priority as a divisional application of a continuation-in-part U.S. Utility Patent Application entitled "PLATED TERMINATIONS", filed Apr. 6, 2004 and assigned U.S. Ser. No. 10/818,951 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,177,137 and of previously filed U.S. Utility Patent Application entitled "PLATED TERMINATIONS", filed Aug. 1, 2003 and assigned U.S. Ser. No. 10/632,514 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,366, as well as U.S. Utility Patent Application entitled "PLATED TERMINATIONS" filed Apr. 8, 2003 and assigned U.S. Ser. No. 10/409,023 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,291, which applications respectively claim priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled "PLATED TERMINATIONS," filed Apr. 15, 2002 and assigned U.S. Ser. No. 60/372,673, and which are all incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The present subject matter generally concerns improved termination features for multilayer electronic components, and more particularly relates to plated terminations for multilayer electronic components, such as capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc. or for integrated passive components. The subject termination designs utilize selective arrangements of internal and/or external electrode tabs to facilitate the formation of plated electrical connections. The external connections are preferably made whereby the provision of typical thick film termination stripes is eliminated or greatly simplified.
Many modern electronic components are packaged as monolithic devices, and may comprise a single component or multiple components within a single chip package. One specific example of such a monolithic device is a multilayer capacitor or capacitor array, and of particular interest with respect to the disclosed technology are multilayer capacitors with interdigitated internal electrode layers and corresponding electrode tabs. Examples of multilayer capacitors that include features of interdigitated capacitor (IDC) technology can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,925 (DuPr� et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,253 B1 (DuPr� et al.). Other monolithic electronic components correspond to devices that integrate multiple passive components into a single chip structure. Such an integrated passive component may provide a selected combination of resistors, capacitors, inductors and/or other passive components that are formed in a multilayered configuration and packaged as a monolithic electronic device.
Selective terminations are often required to form electrical connections for various monolithic electronic components. Multiple terminations are needed to provide electrical connections to the different electronic components of an integrated monolithic device. Multiple terminations are also often used in conjunction with IDC's and other multilayer arrays in order to reduce undesirable inductance levels. One exemplary way that multiple terminations have been formed in multilayer components is by drilling vias through selected areas of a chip structure and filling the vias with conductive material such that an electrical connection is formed among selected electrode portions of the device.
Another way of forming external terminations for the subject devices is to apply a thick film stripe of silver or copper in a glass matrix to exposed portions of internal electrode layers, and subsequently plating additional layers of metal over the termination stripes such that a part is solderable to a substrate. An example of an electronic component with external electrodes formed by fired terminations and metal films plated thereon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,921 (Sano et al.). The application of terminations is often hard to control and can become problematic with reduction in chip sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,144 B1 (McLoughlin) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,685 B1 (Clinton et al.) concern methods for forming terminations on selected regions of an electronic device.
The ever-shrinking size of electronic components makes it quite difficult to print termination stripes in a predetermined area with required precision. Thick film termination stripes are typically applied with a machine that grabs a chip and applies selective terminations with specially designed and/or engraved wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,897 (Braden), U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,331 (Braden et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,299 (Garcia et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,382 (Braden) disclose mechanical features and steps related to the application of termination stripes to a chip structure. Reduced component size or an increased number of termination contacts for an electronic chip device may cause the resolution limits of typical termination machines to become maxed out.
Other problems that can arise when trying to apply selective terminations include shifting of the termination lands, mispositioning of terminations such that internal electrode tabs are exposed or missed entirely, and missing wrap-around termination portions. Yet further problems may be caused when too thin a coating of the paint-like termination material is applied or when one portion of termination coating smears into another causing shorted termination lands. These and other concerns surrounding the provision of electrical termination for monolithic devices create a need to provide inexpensive and effective termination features for electronic chip components.
In light of component miniaturization and concerns with providing terminations that do not short together, especially when positioning multiple components in proximity on a circuit board, U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,619 (Ahiko et al.) provides a chip type electronic component having external electrodes that are spaced at predetermined distances from side surfaces of a ceramic substrate. More particularly, electronic components having three-sided terminations as opposed to more conventional five-sided terminations are disclosed. Such components with three-sided terminations are more easily provided in an adjacent relationship with one another without shorting together distinct component terminations. Some embodiments disclosed in Ahiko et al. include electroplated films applied to the exposed portions of individual electrodes.
Yet another known option related to termination application involves aligning a plurality of individual substrate components to a shadow mask. Parts can be loaded into a particularly designed fixture, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,076 (Lutz et al.), and then sputtered through a mask element. This is typically a very expensive manufacturing process, and thus other effective yet more cost efficient termination provisions may be desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,011 (Zablotny et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,476 (Stone), U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,846 (Miki), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,898 (Garibotti), respectively deal with aspects of the formation of terminations for various electronic components.
Additional background references that address methodology for forming multilayer ceramic devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,164 (Ling et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,265 (Maher), U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,378 (Dorrian), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,498 (Maher).
While various aspects and alternative features are known in the field of electronic components and terminations therefor, no one design has emerged that generally addresses all of the issues as discussed herein. The disclosures of all the foregoing United States patents are hereby fully incorporated into this application by reference thereto.
The present subject matter recognizes and addresses various of the foregoing shortcomings, and others concerning certain aspects of electrical terminations and related technology. Thus, broadly speaking, a principal object of the presently disclosed technology is improved termination features for electronic components. More particularly, the disclosed termination features are plated and designed to eliminate or greatly simplify thick-film stripes that are typically printed along portions of a monolithic device for termination purposes.
Another principal object of the presently disclosed technology is to offer a way to guide the formation of plated terminations through the provision of internal electrode elements and the optional placement of additional anchor tabs. Both internal electrode elements and additional anchor tabs can facilitate the formation of secure and reliable external plating. Anchor tabs, which typically provide no internal electrical connections, may be provided for enhanced external termination connectivity, better mechanical integrity and deposition of plating materials.
Yet another principal object of the present subject matter is to provide termination features for electronic components whereby typical thick-film termination stripes are eliminated or simplified, and only plated terminations are needed to effect many of the external electrode connections for a given component. Plated materials in accordance with the disclosed technology may comprise metallic conductors, resistive materials, and/or semi-conductive materials.
A still further principal object of the subject termination technology is that termination features can be used in accordance with a variety of multilayer monolithic devices, including, for example, low inductance ceramic capacitors and capacitor arrays, multilayer ceramic capacitors and capacitor arrays, and integrated passive components. Integrated passive components may include a select combination of resistors, capacitors, varistors, inductors, baluns, couplers, and/or other passive components.
A resultant advantage of the disclosed subject matter is that termination features for electronic components can be effected without the need for application by termination machinery, thus providing an ability to yield external terminations with resolution levels that may otherwise be unattainable. Such improved termination resolution also enables the provision of more terminations within a given component area and terminations with a much finer pitch, thus reducing over ESL values associated with such terminations.
A general object of the present technology is to provide termination features that enable an effective solder base with reduced susceptibility to solder leaching and also lowered insulation resistance. Configuration of exposed electrode portions and anchor tab portions is designed such that selected adjacent exposed tab portions are decorated with plated termination material without undesired bridging among distinct termination locations.
Yet another object of the present subject matter is that the disclosed technology can be utilized in accordance with a myriad of different termination configurations, including varied numbers and placement of external terminations. Plated terminations can be formed in accordance with a variety of different plating techniques as disclosed herein at locations that are self-determined by the provision of exposed conductive elements on the periphery of an electronic component.
A still further object of the subject plated termination technology is to facilitate the production of more inexpensive and effective electronic components in an expedient and reliable manner. One key reason why this is accomplished is that the subject termination plating process uses "batch" processing instead of individual termination.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in, or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from, the detailed description herein. Also, it should be further appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated, referenced, and discussed features hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of the disclosed technology without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent means and features, or materials for those shown, referenced, or discussed, and the functional, operational, or positional reversal of various parts, features, or the like.
Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description).
A first exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter relates to a multilayer electronic component including a plurality of dielectric layers, a plurality of internal electrode elements and a plurality of internal anchor tabs. Each respective dielectric layer is delimited laterally by edges and the plurality of internal electrode elements are interleaved among the plurality of dielectric layers such that selected portions of the internal electrode elements are exposed along at least one edge of the plurality of dielectric layers. The plurality of electrode tabs are also interleaved among the plurality of dielectric layers and exposed along selected edges of the dielectric layers.
A second exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter corresponds to a multilayer electronic component including a plurality of first dielectric layers, a plurality of internal electrode elements, a plurality of second dielectric layers, and a plurality of internal anchor tabs. Each first dielectric layer is delimited laterally by edges. The plurality of internal electrode elements are interleaved among the plurality of first dielectric layers to form an active assembly characterized by topmost and bottommost surfaces. Selected portions of the plurality of internal electrode elements extend to and are exposed along at least one edge of the plurality of first dielectric layers. The plurality of second dielectric layers are also delimited laterally be edges and are respectively provided on selected of the topmost and bottommost surfaces of the active assembly to form at least one cover layer for the multilayer electronic component. The plurality of internal anchor tabs are interleaved among selected of the first and second dielectric layers and are exposed along selected edges thereof such that exposed portions of the plurality of internal electrode elements and exposed portions of the internal anchor tabs are aligned in one or more columns at selected edges or corners of the multilayer electronic component.
In some more particular embodiments, internal conductive elements correspond to capacitor electrodes of first and second opposing polarities and at least one plated termination is formed to interface with elements of each respective polarity. Internal anchor tabs connecting to a first polarity termination are provided at a sufficient distance from the second polarity electrode elements and internal anchor tabs connecting to the second polarity termination are provided at a sufficient distance from the first polarity electrode elements to reduce the chances of such elements shorting together. In other embodiments, the second dielectric layers utilized in the cover layers of a multilayer electronic component are interleaved with common electrode elements.
In some exemplary embodiments, the electrode elements may be provided in generally rectangular, T-shaped, J-shaped, and/or U-shaped configurations. In other exemplary embodiments, the electrode elements may be provided in an interdigitated configuration with electrode tab portions extending to, for example but not limited to, one, two, or four sides of the multilayer electronic component in one or more aligned columns. The number of aligned columns (corresponding to the number of resultant terminations) may be in a range from about four (4) to about forty (40) in some embodiments and in arrange from about ten (10) to about twenty (20) in other embodiments. Exemplary pitch dimensions between exposed conductive columns (and resulting terminations) on a given component side may be between about ten (10) and thirty (30) mils.
Distances between adjacent exposed conductive portions in a given column may be specifically designed to ensure guided formation of terminations in accordance with the disclosed technology. In some embodiments, such distance between exposed conductive portions in a given column is less than about ten microns and is less than about eight microns in other embodiments. In embodiments where the device edges/corners are rounded, the distance between conductive elements in the device cover layers may incrementally decrease towards top and/or bottom surfaces of a multilayer electronic component such that a desired surface distance between exposed portions of such conductive elements remains substantially uniform.
Plated terminations in accordance with the disclosed technology may be formed over the exposed electrode elements and the exposed anchor tabs. In some embodiments, initial portions of electrolessly plated termination material (e.g., copper) are provided at respective exposed conductive portions. Such initial portions may form one or more bridged termination between adjacent exposed conductive portions. Alternatively, a substantially continuous bridged termination may be formed by plating further layers (e.g., additional copper or subsequent nickel) over the initially deposited material. An amount of diffusion may occur (such as a result of thermal treatment of the device) at the interface between the plated termination material(s) and the exposed conductive portions.
External electrode tabs, or peripheral lands, may be provided on selected top and/or bottom surfaces of a multilayer electronic component for connecting via the subject plated terminations to exposed internal electrode or internal anchor tab portions. Such external tabs/lands may often be provided with a generally greater thickness than the internal electrodes and anchor tabs for greater mechanical robustness and survivability when corner rounding processes are employed to effect generally rounded component edges for the multilayer electronic components. Survivability may also be increased by embedding external lands in the topmost and/or bottommost surfaces of the multilayer electronic components and/or by forming selected of the conductive elements (e.g., electrodes and internal and/or external anchor tabs) with a predetermined volume percentage of ceramic material.
In some exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter, terminations comprise one or more layers of plated termination material, on top of which are provided additional termination layers. One example of such a multilayer termination corresponds to an initial plated layer of copper followed by successive layers of nickel and tin, which may also be plated in accordance with presently disclosed methodologies.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present technology corresponds to a multilayer capacitor including a plurality of dielectric layers, a plurality of first conductive elements and a plurality of second conductive elements. The respective pluralities of first and second conductive elements, which are configured as opposing capacitor plates of respective first and second polarity, are interleaved among the plurality of dielectric layers. The interleaved assembly of dielectric layers, first conductive elements and second conductive elements forms a structure generally shaped as a rectangular prism characterized by opposing top and bottom surfaces and four side surfaces therebetween. Each of the first and second conductive elements is exposed on at least two adjacent side surfaces of the multilayer capacitor.
In some embodiments, each respective plurality of first and second conductive elements includes a plurality of generally T-shaped capacitor electrodes and a plurality of generally rectangular shaped anchor electrodes. One or more aligned columns of such capacitor electrodes and anchor electrodes are formed whereby each electrode element is exposed along an entire selected side surface of the multilayer capacitor and at a portion of two side surfaces adjacent to the selected side surface. The resultant configuration may yield a component with two opposing side surfaces that are equally configured for mounting the capacitor to a substrate.
In other embodiments, each of the first and second conductive elements includes a generally rectangular shaped base portion with first and second generally rectangular tab portions extending from opposite corners of the base portion. Each generally rectangular tab portion of the first and second conductive elements may be exposed along the periphery of the multilayer capacitor in one or more aligned columns. Each rectangular tab portion may be exposed at a component edge formed where two adjacent side surfaces of the multilayer capacitor come together. Rectangular tab portions of each conductive element are exposed at opposing device edges such that each of the four side surfaces of the resultant multilayer capacitor are equally configured for mounting to a substrate.
The present subject matter equally concerns methodology associated with forming multilayer electronic components in accordance with the disclosed technology. One exemplary embodiment of such methodology includes the steps of providing a plurality of electronic components, providing a plating solution and immersing the electronic components in the plating solution. The electronic components respectively include a plurality of dielectric layers selectively interleaved with a plurality of internal conductive elements. Selected portions of the internal conductive elements are exposed at locations along the periphery of each electronic component such that immersion in the plating solution enables a termination material to be deposited at selected exposed conductive portions of each electronic component.
In some more particular embodiments, the plating solution is an electroless plating solution. Additional subsequent steps may include providing an electrolytic plating solution with an electrical bias and immersing the plurality of electronic components in the electrolytic plating solution such that an additional termination material is deposited over the termination material deposited at the initial immersing step. Either initial or subsequent deposition of plating material results in one or more bridged terminations among multiple exposed conductive elements.
Another additional exemplary step in accordance with the present subject matter may include a step of cleaning selected surfaces of the electronic components, such as via chemical polishing, before immersing the components in the electroless bath solution. A still further exemplary step corresponds to a step of applying an activation material to the exposed electrode portions, such as by immersion in metallic salts, photo-patterned organometallic precursors, screen-printed or ink-jetted metallic deposition, and/or electrophoretic metallic deposition. Another exemplary step corresponds to subjecting the electronic components to mechanical abrasion to round component edges and corners, such as accomplished by harperizing with or without a media. The need or required duration of mechanical abrasion to round device edges and corners may be reduced when electronic components are diced in a V-cut fashion. Yet another exemplary step corresponds to a heating, or annealing, step to strengthen adhesion of the plated termination material to the electronic component.
Additional embodiments of the present subject matter, not necessarily expressed in this summarized section, may include and incorporate various combinations of aspects of features or parts referenced in the summarized objectives above, and/or features or parts as otherwise discussed in this application.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the remainder of the specification.
A full and enabling description of the present subject matter, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention.
As referenced in the Brief Summary of the Invention section, supra, the present subject matter is directed towards improved termination features for monolithic electronic components.
The subject termination scheme utilizes exposed electrode portions of structures such as monolithic capacitor arrays, multilayer capacitors including those with interdigitated electrode configurations, integrated passive components, and other electronic chip structures. Additional anchor tabs may be embedded within such monolithic components to provide stacked pluralities of exposed internal conductive portions to which plated terminations may be formed and securely positioned along the periphery of a device.
By providing additional anchor tabs on selected top and/or bottom surfaces of a chip device, wrap-around plated terminations may be formed that extend along the side of a chip to one or more of the top and bottom layers. Such wrap-around terminations may be desirable in certain applications to facilitate soldering of the chip to a printed circuit board or other suitable substrate. Exposed tabs that extend along an entire side without wrapping around to the top and/or bottom layers may be formed by providing anchor tabs into respective corner radius portions of the top and bottom cover layers of the device, thus facilitating a land-less termination that still enables good solder wetting to a printed circuit board or other mounting surface.
The subject plating technology and anchor tab features may be utilized in accordance with a plurality of different monolithic components.
Still further exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter relate to the multilayer capacitor configurations illustrated in
It should be noted that each of the exemplary embodiments as presented herein should not insinuate limitations of the disclosed technology. Features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in combination with another embodiment to yield further embodiments. Additionally, certain features may be interchanged with similar devices or features not mentioned yet which perform the same, similar or equivalent function.
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the disclosed technology. Referring to the drawings,
The exemplary electrode layer configuration of
An interdigitated capacitor typically consists of a plurality of electrode layers, such as those shown in
Exemplary IDC embodiment 16 may alternatively be viewed as a multilayer configuration of alternating electrode layers and dielectric layers in portion 20 of the device. IDC 16 is typically further characterized by a topmost dielectric layer 22 and bottommost dielectric layer 24 that may be built up to be generally thicker than other dielectric layer portions of IDC configuration 16. Such dielectric layers 22 and 24 act as cover layers to protect the device and provide sufficient bulk to withstand the stress of glass/metal frit that may be fired to a capacitor body. Known capacitor embodiments have utilized the multilayer arrangement of
A multilayer IDC component 16 such as that of
For example, consider the exemplary internal electrode layer configuration illustrated in the exploded view of
Yet another exemplary internal electrode layer configuration provides for electrode tabs that are exposed on four sides of a multilayer interdigitated component. Such internal electrode layers may be similar to the configuration depicted in
A still further exemplary electrode layer configuration and corresponding multilayer capacitor embodiment is depicted in
Referring again to
A thick-film stripe in accordance with such type of termination also typically requires printed application by a termination machine and printing wheel or other suitable component to transfer a metal-loaded paste. Such printing hardware may have resolution limits that make it hard to apply thick-film stripes, especially to smaller chips. A typical existing size for an IDC 16 or other electronic component is about one hundred and twenty mils (thousandths of an inch) by sixty mils along the two opposing sets of sides with a thickness from top to bottom layers of about thirty mils. When more than four terminations need to be applied to a part this size or terminations are desired for a part with smaller dimensions, the resolution levels of specialized termination machinery often becomes a limitation in applying effective termination stripes.
The present subject matter offers a termination scheme that eliminates or greatly simplifies the provision of such typical thick-film termination stripes. By eliminating the less-controlled thick film stripe, the need for typical termination printing hardware is obviated. Termination features in accordance with the disclosed technology focus more on the plated layer of nickel, tin, copper, etc. that is typically formed over a thick-film termination stripe.
With plated terminations in accordance with the presently disclosed technology, it should be appreciated that it is possible to form terminations that are the same width along a component's periphery as that of the exposed internal electrodes. In prior art termination schemes, where thick-film termination stripes are applied, the terminations are typically wider than the exposed electrode portions to account for potential misregistration of exposed tabs. Exposed electrode portions in such prior art embodiments must typically be narrow enough to not only ensure complete coverage thereof by the terminations, but also to ensure that adjacent terminations do not short together. In accordance with aspects of the presently disclosed plated terminations, the pitch between adjacent columns of exposed internal electrode pads need not be as great. Since the potential problems associated with thick-film terminations are eliminated in many embodiments, capacitors may be made with electrode tabs having greater width, or reduced pitch between adjacent columns of electrode tabs, or with a higher number of electrode tabs. Each of the aforementioned capacitor modifications yields electronic components with advantageously lower equivalent series inductance (ESL).
ESL can be particularly lowered when more electrode tabs are utilized in a multilayer capacitor embodiment and when columns of such electrode tabs are closer together. Interdigitated capacitors having a relatively large number of electrode tabs per electrode have a resulting large number of electrical terminals and are thus often referred to as High Density Peripheral Termination (HDPT) capacitors. The construction and termination of such parts is facilitated in accordance with the presently disclosed technology, thus achieving components with improved ESL characteristics. A graph illustrating this phenomenon is provided in
Now consider the exemplary capacitor array configuration 44 presented in
Plated terminations 50 are thus guided by the positioning of the exposed electrode tabs 46. This phenomena is hereafter referred to as "self-determining" since the formation of plated terminations 50 is determined by the configuration of exposed metallization at selected peripheral locations on multilayer component, or capacitor array, 44. The exposed internal electrode tabs 46 also help anchor terminations 50 to the periphery of capacitor array 44′, which corresponds to a multilayer capacitor embodiment such as 44 of
A still further mechanism for enhancing the adhesion of metallic deposit that forms the subject plated terminations is to thereafter heat the component in accordance with such technologies as baking, laser subjection, UV exposure, microwave exposure, arcwelding, etc. This heating step, also referred to in the art as annealing, often results in the diffusion of some of the plated termination material into the adjacent exposed conductive portions (e.g., internal electrodes, internal and/or external anchor tabs). The resultant diffusion evident from such an annealing process is represented in the example of
The plated terminations 50 of
For instance, consider the exploded configuration of exemplary internal metallization illustrated in
With reference to
For some component applications, it may be preferred that terminations not only extend along the entire width of a component, but also wrap around to the top and/or bottom layers. In this case, external anchor tabs, or lands, 70 may be positioned on top and bottom layers of multilayer IDC 60 such that plated terminations can form along the sides and on portions of the top and bottom layers, forming extended solder lands. For example, the provision of embedded internal anchor tabs 58 and 68 and external anchor tabs 70 along with existing exposed electrode tabs 56 in IDC 60, such as depicted in
Additional insight into the selective use of anchor tabs in accordance with the presently disclosed technology is depicted in FIGS. 18 and 19A-19D, respectively.
Referring now to
Another option for extending nucleation points into the cover layers of a multilayer capacitor is represented in
There are several different techniques that can potentially be used to form plated terminations, such as terminations 72 on multilayer component embodiment 74 of
In accordance with electroless plating techniques, also referred to in some applications as immersion plating, preliminary steps may sometimes be utilized before immersing an electronic component in a given electroless plating solution. After an electronic component is formed with exposed metallic electrode and/or anchor tab portions, a chemical polishing step may be effected to aid exposure of the metallic portions. For example, when electrode and/or anchor tab portions are made of Nickel, chemical polishing can help to chemically remove any buildup of Nickel Oxide (NiO) on the periphery of the yet unterminated component.
A still further example of a preliminary step that may be utilized in accordance with presently disclosed electroless plating techniques is a step to activate the exposed metallic portions of the device to facilitate depositing of the electrolessly plated materials. Activation can be achieved by immersion of the electronic component in Palladium salts, photo patterned Palladium organometallic precursors (via mask or laser), screen printed or ink-jet deposited Palladium compounds or electrophoretic Palladium deposition. It should be appreciated that Palladium-based activation is presently disclosed merely as an example of activation solutions that often work well with activation for exposed electrode and/or tab portions formed of Nickel or Nickel-based alloys. In other embodiments, alternative activation solutions may be utilized. In still further embodiments, a Palladium (Pd) dopant may be introduced into the Nickel ink that forms the capacitor electrodes and/or anchor tabs to eliminate the Pd activation step for electroless Cu deposition. It should be further appreciated that some of the above activation methods, such as organometallic precursors, also lend themselves to co-deposition of glass formers for increased adhesion to the generally ceramic body of an electronic component. When activation steps are taken as described above, traces of the activator material (represented by portions 202 in
In accordance with electrochemical deposition and electroless plating techniques, a component such as IDC 74 of
Another technique that may be utilized in accordance with the formation of the subject plated terminations involves magnetic attraction of plating material. For instance, nickel particles suspended in a bath solution can be attracted to similarly conductive exposed electrode tabs and anchor tabs of a multilayer component by taking advantage of the magnetic properties of nickel. Other materials with similar magnetic properties may be employed in the formation of plated terminations, or other materials can be coated over the magnetic cores.
A still further technique regarding the application of plated termination material to exposed electrode tabs and/or anchor tabs of a multilayer component involves the principles of electrophoretics or electrostatics. In accordance with such exemplary technology, a bath solution contains electrostatically charged particles. An IDC or other multilayer component with exposed conductive portions may then be biased with an opposite charge and subjected to the bath solution such that the charged particles are deposited at select locations on the component. This technique is particularly useful in the application of glass and other semiconductive or nonconductive materials. Once such materials are deposited, it is possible to thereafter convert the deposited materials to conductive materials by intermediate application of sufficient heat to the component.
A related advantage of most of the methods disclosed herein for forming plated terminations is that multiple electronic components can be terminated in a bulk process, such as a barrel plating, fluidized bed plating and/or flow-through plating termination processes, all of which are generally known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such aspect facilitates more convenient and expedient component termination since device manufacture no longer requires the selective application of terminations via precisely configured termination machines.
It should also be appreciated that as these electronic parts get ever smaller, the practical matter of being able to physically hold them while applying the thick film termination to each end becomes less practicable.
Further, this thin film approach provides less dimensional variability, permitting easier automatic handling.
One particular methodology for forming plated terminations in accordance with the disclosed technology relates to a combination of the above-referenced plating application techniques. A multilayer component may first be submersed in an electroless plating solution, such as copper ionic solution, to deposit an initial layer of copper over exposed tab portions, and provide a larger contact area. The plating technique may then be switched to an electrochemical plating system which allows for a faster buildup of copper on the selected portions of such component.
In still further exemplary methods, the initial component submersion in an electroless plating solution may effect the formation of initial unconnected portions 204 such as illustrated in
In accordance with the different available techniques for plating material to exposed conductive elements of a multilayer component in accordance with the present technology, different types of materials may be used to create the plated terminations and form electrical connections to internal features of an electrical component. For instance, metallic conductors such as nickel, copper, tin, etc. may be utilized as well as suitable resistive conductors or semi-conductive materials, and/or combinations of selected of these different types of materials.
A particular example of plated terminations in accordance with the present subject matter wherein plated terminations comprise a plurality of different materials is discussed with reference to
A first step in the formation of the terminations illustrated in
A still further plating alternative corresponds to forming a layer of metallic plating, and then electroplating a resistive alloy over such metallic plating. Plating layers can be provided alone or in combination to provide a variety of different plated termination configurations. A fundamental of such plated terminations is that the self-determining plating is configured by the design and positioning of exposed conductive portions along the periphery of a component. It should be appreciated that the aforementioned plated terminations having multiple layers are not limited to utilization with the embodiments illustrated in
Such particular orientation of internal electrode portions and anchor tabs may be provided in a variety of different configurations to facilitate the formation of plated terminations in accordance with the present subject matter. For instance, consider the exemplary internal conductive configuration of
Yet another exemplary multilayer component in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter is represented as component 90 in
Examples of different peripheral termination shapes, such as effected by selective arrangement of external anchor tabs, are now presented with reference to
Referring now to
The absence of conductive portions on the top surface is sometimes desirable, for example, when the surface may come in contact with a heat shield or RF shield, which could cause a short circuit.
It should be appreciated in accordance with the above description of
Referring now to
With regard to
A still further application of the presently disclosed technology relates to more general multilayer component configurations, such as depicted in
Yet another exemplary multilayer configuration for use in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter is illustrated in
A further advantage of the exemplary configuration illustrated in
Referring now to
Yet another example of a corner-terminated multilayer electronic device is illustrated in
The electrode and corresponding capacitor design of
Yet another example of a multilayer electronic component with which the presently disclosed technology may be utilized is depicted in
A slight variation to the "J-shaped" electrodes illustrated in
A still further exemplary device configuration for use with the subject plated termination technology is depicted in
There are a relatively high number of exposed conductive portions in the multilayer device embodiment of
Another example embodying aspects of the disclosed technology is presented with respect to
An integrated passive component 110, such as that represented by
Referring now to
A representation of such corner rounding is presented in a before and after comparison of
Referring to
One option for reducing the exposure of the subject components to corner rounding or harperizing would be to dice the components such that less or no tumbling is required to achieve generally rounded device corners. For example, referring to
Yet another design aspect that may be practiced in some embodiments of the present technology to achieve increased mechanical robustness of a device, which becomes especially desirable when tumbling or harperizing of a device is effected, corresponds to the inclusion of certain amounts of ceramic in the material forming the conductive portions of an electronic device. For example, in a multilayer ceramic capacitor, the internal electrode layers and internal and/or external anchor tabs may each be respectively formed of a certain volume percentage (vol %) of conductive ink (e.g., nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), etc.) and a certain vol % of ceramic. It should be appreciated that some conductive portions may be formed with up to 75 vol % ceramic (and a corresponding counter vol % of conductive ink such that the two percentages combine to 100 vol %). It should be appreciated that somewhat of a tradeoff exists in the combination of ceramic and conductive ink: higher vol % ceramic helps achieve increased robustness but to a loss of conductivity by reduced levels of the conductive ink. In more specific exemplary embodiments, internal electrodes and/or internal anchor tabs are formed with conductive ink (e.g., Ni ink)) combined with about 20 vol % ceramic (e.g., barium titanate). Adding ceramic to such conductive portions helps control electrode shrinking when a part is fired during manufacturing. External anchor tabs (lands) may include even more vol % ceramic than the internal conductive portions, such as on the level of about 30 vol % ceramic. As conductive portions of the subject capacitors are formed with increasing percentages of ceramic material, decreased ceramic powder particle size, such as less than about 1 μm, may facilitate adherence of the ceramic and conductive materials. Although increasing the ceramic content generally increases the adhesion of the printed material, it does reduce the conductivity of that layer. This is not critical, however, as the subsequent plating of pure materials will be very conductive again.
Referring now to
Referring now to
It should be appreciated that the monolithic component embodiments illustrated in and discussed with reference to the present figures are provided merely as examples of the disclosed technology, including intermediate aspects thereof. In some of the examples, four or more general columns of electrodes are depicted, but a fewer or greater number of electrode columns are possible, depending on the desired component configuration. Furthermore, many different variations of the exemplary electrode configurations presented herein may be implemented, and thus such examples should not be limiting to the type of structures with which the subject plated termination technology may be employed. It is possible to form plated terminations along any selected portion of any selected component side in accordance with the disclosed technology.
It should be appreciated that internal anchor tabs and external anchor tabs may selectively be used for different termination preferences to provide different sizes of side terminations or wrap-around terminations. IDC embodiments displayed and described herein that feature both internal and external anchor tabs may, for instance, only utilize internal anchor tab features when wrap-around terminations are not preferred for a particular application. Different combinations, geometries, or sizes of both internal and external anchor tabs with existing exposed electrode tabs on a variety of different multilayer components can yield numerous potential termination schemes for a device.
While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily adapt the present technology for alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations, and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
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