Thin, flexible microsystem with integrated energy source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015287960-A1
Application number	US-201414340253-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system comprising a first dielectric element and a second dielectric element each having a first surface, wherein the first surface of the first dielectric element and the first surface of the second dielectric element are joined. The system further comprises one or more enclosed voids within the joined first and second dielectric elements. The system further comprises a flexible battery in a first enclosed void of the one or more enclosed voids, the flexible battery having a thickness of less than about 150 microns.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a first dielectric element and a second dielectric element each having a first surface, wherein the first surface of the first dielectric element and the first surface of the second dielectric element are joined:
one or more enclosed voids within the joined first and second dielectric elements; and
a flexible battery in a first enclosed void of the one or more enclosed voids, the flexible battery having a thickness of less than about 150 microns.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system has a flexibility defined by a radius of curvature of between about 4 mm and about 20 mm.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible battery has a flexibility defined by a radius of curvature of about 2 mm.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the first enclosed void is less that 10 cubic mm.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a maximum thickness of the system is less than 200 microns.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second enclosed void containing one or more semiconductor dies that are between 20 um and 100 um thick, wherein at least one semiconductor die of the one or more semiconductor dies is powered by the flexible battery and is connected to the flexible battery by one or more electrical interconnects.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more semiconductor dies comprise one or more of the following: one or more thermal, pressure, inertial, tactile, photonic, chemical, particle, image, molecule, and biochemical sensors: one or more medicine delivery mechanisms for release and/or controlled release of liquids and/or bioactive chemicals or agents; one or more heaters; one or more microfluidic systems; one or more electromagnetic sensors: one or more indicators and/or displays; or one or more radio frequency, visible light, infrared, and sound transmitters and/or receivers.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric element and the second dielectric element each have a shape that is one or more of the following:
a “C” shape: and a segment of an annul us that can be joined end-to-end to form a closed annulus wherein an inner surface of the annulus is elevated relative to an outer surface of the annulus forming a slice of a cone.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is embedded in a contact lens to power a chemical delivery mechanism and/or a biochemical sensor and/or an electro-optical cell to adjust a focal length of the contact lens.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible battery in the first enclosed void comprises:
an anode in a first, portion of the first enclosed void extending into the first surface of the first dielectric element; a cathode in a second portion of the first enclosed void extending into the first surface of the second dielectric element; and an electrolyte separator between the anode and the cathode in the first enclosed void.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a first metal barrier layer between the anode and an interior of the first portion of the first enclosed void and a second metal barrier layer between the cathode and the second portion of the first enclosed void.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first metal barrier layer is an electrical contact for the anode and the second metal barrier layer is an electrical contact for the cathode.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first metal barrier layer and the second metal barrier layer are discontinuous to prevent a current flow from the first metal barrier layer and the second metal barrier layer to a mechanical seal in contact with the first metal barrier and the second metal barrier.

14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing layer, wherein the sealing layer is between the first surface of the first dielectric element and the first surface of the second dielectric element, and wherein the sealing layer comprises one or more of the following: a metal; a dielectric; or an adhesive.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the anode comprises electroplated Zn on an anode current collector, wherein the anode current collector comprises one or more of the following: Sn, In, Ni, or art alloy such as brass or bronze.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the cathode comprises one or more of the following: electroplated nickel hydroxide on a Ni cathode current collector; a mixture of MnO2, with or without binder, on a cathode current collector that is one or more of Ti, Au, carbon-coated Ti, carbon-coated Au, or a transparent conducting oxide such as ITO or IZO.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a surface of the first portion of the first enclosed void extending into the first, surface of the first dielectric element and a surface of the second portion of the first enclosed void extending into the first surface of the second dielectric element are textured to increase a surface area and to increase adhesion of the anode to the surface of the first portion of the first enclosed void and adhesion, of the cathode to the surface of the second portion of the first enclosed void.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte separator comprises one or more of the following: a flexible porous material; a gel; or a cellulose sheet that is between 10 um and 100 um thick.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the electrolyte separator comprises one or more of the following: cellulose; cellophane; polyvinyl acetate (PVA); PVA/cellulous blends; polyethylene (PE); polypropylene (PP); or a mixture of PE and PP.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the electrolyte separator comprises one or more of the following: an aqueous salt solution such as KOH; zinc chloride; ammonium chloride; or zinc acetate with additives such as ZnO.

21 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the flexible battery has an open circuit voltage of between 1.4V and 1.8V and has a discharge capacity of between 10 uA-hours and 200 uA-hours.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Andry Paul S
• Branquinho Teresa Maria Joana Sofia
• Dang Bing
• Gaynes Michael A
• Knickerbocker John U
• Lewandowski Eric P
• Tsang Cornelia K
• Webb Bucknell C

Classifications

• H01M10/0436

  Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment · CPC title

• H01M4/42

  Alloys based on zinc · CPC title

• C25D3/56

  of alloys · CPC title

• H01M4/664

  Ceramic materials · CPC title

• H01M4/50

  of manganese · CPC title