Encapsulating in-situ energy storage device with electrode contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11489219-B2
Application number	US-201916445185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

An energy storage device sits within a trench with electrically insulated sides within a substrate. Within the trench there is an anode, an electrolyte disposed on the anode, and a cathode structure disposed on the electrolyte. Variations of an electrically conductive contact are disposed on and in electrical contact with the cathode structure. At least part of the conductive contact is disposed within the trench and the conductive contact partially seals the anode, electrolyte, and cathode structure within the trench. Conductive and/or non-conductive adhesives are used to complete the seal thereby enabling full working electrochemical devices where singulation of the devices from the substrate enables high control of device dimensionality and footprint.

First claim

We claim:

1. An energy storage device comprising:
a substrate with one or more trenches and a substrate top, each of the trenches having an active surface width and a trench bottom, the active surface width and the trench bottom defining an active region;
one or more electrically insulating layers, the electrically insulating layers covering the substrate top and one or more sides of the trench, the trench bottom being an exposed surface of the substrate within the active region between the electrically insulating layers covering the one or more sides of the trench;
an anode disposed within the trench in contact with the trench bottom at an active surface;
an electrolyte disposed on the anode within the trench;
a cathode structure disposed on the electrolyte within the trench, the cathode structure having a cathode structure width, the cathode structure width being the same as or slightly smaller than the active surface width so that the cathode structure fits within the active region to form a partial seal to keep the electrolyte and anode encapsulated in the active region;
a cathode contact disposed on the cathode structure, the cathode contact having a top and at least one leg, at least part of each of the legs of the cathode contact being disposed within the trench and partially sealing the anode, electrolyte, and cathode structure within the trench; and
a conductive adhesive layer disposed on top of cathode structure and on the one or more electrically insulating layers covering the substrate top, the conductive adhesive layer permitting electrical connection from external circuitry to the cathode structure,

wherein the conductive adhesive layer is between the top and the one or more electrically insulating layers covering the substrate top, the conductive adhesive layer completely hermetically sealing the trench.

2. A device, as in claim 1 , where the cathode contact is made of one or more of the following: a metal, aluminum (Al), a hardened Al alloy, Titanium (Ti), a Titanium Alloy or Nickel (Ni).

3. A device, as in claim 1 , where the cathode structure comprises:
a dielectric separator, the dielectric separator being ionically conducting for ions and electrically insulating for electrons;
a cathode disposed on and adhering to the dielectric separator; and
a conductive layer disposed on the cathode, electrically connecting the cathode and conductive contact.

4. A device, as in claim 3 , where the dielectric separator is a woven fabric polymer material made from one of the following: Polyacrylnitrile (PAN), a quarternized polysulfone membrane, an electrospun Polyvinylidene fluoride, and a methylmethacrylate (MMA) polyethylene (PE) composite.

5. A device, as in claim 1 , where the conductive adhesive layer covers each of the legs.

6. A device, as in claim 1 , where the conductive adhesive layer electrically connects to an external contact.

7. A device, as in claim 1 , where the cathode contact has a single leg and a T shape.

8. A device, as in claim 1 , where the cathode structure comprises a cathode made of Lithium Manganese Oxyfluoride, with the approximate stoichiometry of Li 2 MnO 2 F, (LMOF) m combination with a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) material.

9. A device, as in claim 1 , where the conductive adhesive layer is between the cathode contact and the electrically insulating layers covering the sides of the trench above the cathode structure.

10. A device, as in claim 1 , where the cathode contact is a pi-shape, with the pi-shape having two legs, a pi-shape top, and a cathode space between the two legs, the two legs being within the trench and the cathode structure being disposed in the cathode space.

11. A device, as in claim 10 , where the cathode structure comprises:
a conductive layer disposed between the two legs of the pi-shaped cathode contact, electrically connecting the cathode and cathode contact;
a cathode disposed on the conductive layer between the two legs of the pi-shaped cathode contact; and
a dielectric separator adhered to the cathode surface, the dielectric separator being ionically conducting for ions and electrically insulating for electrons, the dielectric separator electrically separating the two legs and the cathode from the electrolyte.

12. A device, as in claim 11 , further comprising an adhesive layer covering the outside of the two legs of the pi-shaped cathode contact where the adhesive layer completely sealing the pi-shaped cathode contact to the sidewalk of the trench; and
where the adhesive resides between the top contact and the top surface/field of the trench substrate completely sealing the anode, electrolyte, and cathode structure within the trench.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Collins John
• Sadana Devendra K
• Webb Bucknell C
• Andry Paul S

Classifications

• H01M4/505 Primary

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy · CPC title

• H10W42/00

  Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/11

  having a chip structure, e.g. micro-sized batteries integrated on chips · CPC title

• H01M50/126

  comprising three or more layers · CPC title

• H01M50/117

  Inorganic material · CPC title