Integrable electrochemical capacitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015332863-A1
Application number	US-201314381608-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Feb 28, 2012
Publication date	Nov 19, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

An integrable electrochemical capacitor and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The electrochemical capacitor comprises a first electrode comprising a first rigid piece having a first porous portion, a second electrode comprising a second rigid piece having a second porous portion, and an electrolyte in contact with the first porous portion and the second porous portion. The structure allows the electrochemical capacitor to be manufactured without a separator film between the electrodes and is compatible with semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The electrochemical capacitor can also be manufactured within a SOI layer 8.

First claim

1 . An electrochemical capacitor, comprising:
a first electrode having a first rigid piece with a first porous portion, a second electrode having a second rigid piece with a second porous portion, an electrolyte in contact with the first porous portion and the second porous portion, and wherein the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are attached to a rigid support structure and spaced apart from each other, the rigid support structure having an insulator layer under a silicon-on-insulator layer, the first rigid piece being formed by a first portion of the silicon-on-insulator layer and the second rigid piece rigid being formed by a second portion of the silicon-on-insulator layer separated by a trench from the first portion of the silicon-on-insulator.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first rigid piece, the second rigid piece and the rigid support structure enclose a cavity for the electrolyte.

4 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 3 , wherein the cavity is completely filled with the electrolyte and contains no separator film.

5 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer is formed by the rigid support structure and has a planar surface to which both the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are attached.

6 .- 12 . (canceled)

13 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein pores of the first porous portion and the second porous portion form longitudinal channels in the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece.

14 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 13 , wherein each longitudinal channel has a smallest diameter, the smallest diameter being less than 2 nanometers for at least half of the channels.

15 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 14 , wherein the smallest diameter is less than 1.5 nanometers for at least half of the channels.

16 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 14 , wherein the smallest diameter is less than 1 nanometer for at least half of the longitudinal channels

17 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 13 , wherein the trench is limited by facing surfaces of the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece; and wherein the longitudinal channels are substantially perpendicular to said facing surfaces.

18 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal channels are substantially co-directional with the silicon-on-insulator layer.

19 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are made of a semiconductor material having a resistivity less than 10 Ω-cm.

20 . A semiconductor chip, comprising at least one silicon-on-insulator layer and at least one semiconductor device electrically connected to at least one electrochemical capacitor, the at least one electrochemical capacitor having:
a first electrode having a first rigid piece with a first porous portion; a second electrode having a second rigid piece with a second porous portion; an electrolyte in contact with the first porous portion and the second porous portion, and wherein the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are attached to a rigid support structure and spaced apart from each other, the rigid support structure comprising an insulator layer under the silicon-on-insulator layer, the first rigid piece being formed by a first portion of the silicon-on-insulator layer and the second rigid piece rigid being formed by a second portion of the silicon-on-insulator layer separated by a trench from the first portion of the silicon-on-insulator.

21 . (canceled)

22 . A method of manufacturing an electrochemical capacitor, comprising:
etching a trench in a silicon-on-insulator layer such that a bottom layer of silicon remains between a bottom surface of the trench and an insulator layer under the silicon-on-insulator layer; making the inner surfaces of the trench porous; etching a trench extension through the bottom layer; providing a first portion of a rigid support structure on the insulator layer under the silicon-on-insulator layer; and wherein the trench separates a first electrode on the first portion of the rigid support structure and a second electrode on the first portion of the rigid support structure spaced apart from said first electrode, the first electrode having a first rigid piece with a first porous portion and the second electrode having a second rigid piece with a second porous portion; providing a second portion of the rigid support structure such that the first rigid piece, the second rigid piece and the rigid support structure form a cavity partially delimited by the first porous portion and the second porous portion; and filling the cavity with an electrolyte.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are made of a semiconductor material having a resistivity less than 100 mΩ-cm.

25 . The electrochemical capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece are made of a semiconductor material having a resistivity less than 1 mΩ-cm.

26 . The semiconductor chip of claim 20 , wherein the first rigid piece, the second rigid piece and the rigid support structure enclose a cavity for the electrolyte, the cavity being completely filled with the electrolyte and contains no separator film.

27 . The semiconductor chip of claim 20 , wherein the pores of the first porous portion and the second porous portion form longitudinal channels in the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece.

28 . The semiconductor chip of claim 27 , wherein each channel has a smallest diameter, the smallest diameter being less than 2 nanometers for at least half of the channels.

29 . The semiconductor chip of claim 27 , wherein the trench is limited by facing surfaces of the first rigid piece and the second rigid piece; and wherein the longitudinal channels are substantially perpendicular to said facing surfaces.

30 . The semiconductor chip of claim 20 , wherein said at least one semiconductor device is a MEMS device.

Assignees

• Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt Oy

Inventors

• Ahopelto Jouni

Classifications

• H01G11/86

  specially adapted for electrodes (carbonisation or activation of carbon for the manufacture of electrodes H01G11/34) · CPC title

• H01G11/26 Primary

  characterised by their structure, e.g. multi-layered, porosity or surface features · CPC title

• Y02E60/13

  Energy storage using capacitors · CPC title

• H01G11/28 Primary

  arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives · CPC title

• H01G11/54

  Electrolytes · CPC title