US Patent 7558047 Electronic component and method for producing the same

An electronic component is provided which includes external electrodes having a multilayer structure of first and second sintered electrode layers that are densely sintered and have less possibility of causing poor appearance and decreased reliability in electrical connection. Each external electrode includes a first sintered electrode layer and a second sintered electrode layer. The first sintered electrode layer contains a first borosilicate glass containing an alkali metal in which there is 85% to 95% by weight of silicon and 0.5% to 1.5% by weight of the alkali metal based on 100% by weight of all contained elements other than boron. The second sintered electrode layer contains a second borosilicate glass containing an alkali metal in which there is 65% to 80% by weight of silicon and 3.5% to 8.0% by weight of the alkali metal based on 100% by weight of all contained elements other than boron.