Solid electrolytic capacitors (e.g., tantalum capacitors) have been a major contributor to the miniaturization of electronic circuits and have made possible the application of such circuits in extreme environments. The anode of a typical solid electrolytic capacitor includes a porous anode body, with a lead wire extending beyond the anode body and connected to an anode termination of the capacitor. The anode can be formed by first pressing a tantalum powder into a pellet that is then sintered to create fused connections between individual powder particles. One problem with many conventional solid electrolytic capacitors is that the small particle size of the tantalum particles can decrease the volumetric contact between the anode body and the lead wire. In fact, it can be difficult to find many points of contact between the lead wire and the powder particles. When the contact area between the anode body and the wire is decreased, there is a corresponding increase in resistance where the wire and the anode meet. This increased equivalent series resistance (ESR) results in a capacitor exhibiting decreased electrical capabilities. While several efforts have been made to improve the connection between the anode body and anode lead wire, these efforts involve additional processing steps that can be disadvantageous from a manufacturing standpoint. As such, a need currently exists for an improved solid electrolytic capacitor having increased points of contact between the anode body and the anode lead, thereby significantly improving electrical capabilities by achieving ultralow ESR levels.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds