A solid electrolytic capacitor element that includes a sintered porous anode body 32; an anode lead 34, where the lead 34 contains a first portion positioned within the anode body 34 and a second portion extending from the anode body, the second portion having a notched region 50; a dielectric layer overlying the sintered porous anode body 32; and a cathode overlying the dielectric layer that includes a solid electrolyte. The notched region 50 may be located a distance away from the surface of the anode body 32 such that the ratio of the length of the second portion compared to the first portion is about 1.1 to 20. The notch 50 can be rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, triangular, stepped, U-shaped or V-shaped. Also disclosed is a method of forming the above anode body 32 and lead 34. The anode body can be comprised of a valve metal such as tantalum, niobium, aluminium, hafnium, titanium, a valve metal oxide or valve metal nitride.