Three-dimensional batteries and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018013166-A1
Application number	US-201715699383-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Jan 12, 2007
Publication date	Jan 11, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various methods and apparatus relating to three-dimensional battery structures and methods of manufacturing them are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, a three-dimensional battery comprises a battery enclosure, and a first structural layer within the battery enclosure, where the first structural layer has a first surface, and a first plurality of conductive protrusions extend from the first surface. A first plurality of electrodes is located within the battery enclosure, where the first plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes, and wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes a second plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the second plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions. Some embodiments relate to processes of manufacturing energy storage devices with or without the use of a backbone structure or layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional battery, comprising:
a battery enclosure; a first structural layer within the battery enclosure, said structural layer having a first surface; a first plurality of conductive protrusions extending from said first surface of said first structural layer; and a first plurality of electrodes within the battery enclosure, the first plurality of electrodes including a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes, wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes a second plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the second plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions.

2 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of electrodes is fewer than the first plurality of electrodes.

3 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 2 , the second plurality of electrodes consisting of a plurality of anodes.

4 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 2 , the second plurality of electrodes consisting of a plurality of cathodes.

5 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of the electrodes is the same as the second plurality of electrodes.

6 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second structural layer within the battery enclosure, said second structural layer having a second surface; a second plurality of conductive protrusions extending from said second surface of said second structural layer; and a third plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the third plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said second plurality of conductive protrusions.

7 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 6 , the third plurality of electrodes consisting of a plurality of anodes.

8 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 6 , the third plurality of electrodes consisting of a plurality of cathodes.

9 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions surround a base material protruding from said first surface of said first structural layer.

10 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 9 , wherein said base material and said first structural layer comprise the same material.

11 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein each of said second plurality of electrodes comprises a layer overlying the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions.

12 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions comprise fins protruding at least 50 microns from said first structural layer and having a thickness smaller than 20 microns.

13 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions comprise pillars protruding at least 50 microns from said first structural layer.

14 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 10 , wherein each of said second plurality of electrodes comprises a layer overlying the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions.

15 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 10 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions comprise fins protruding at least 50 microns from said first structural layer and having a thickness smaller than 20 microns.

16 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 10 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions comprise pillars protruding at least 50 microns from said first structural layer.

17 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 13 , each of said pillars being substantially cylindrical.

18 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 16 , each of said pillars being substantially cylindrical.

19 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 6 , wherein said second plurality of conductive protrusions is electrically insulated from said third plurality of conductive protrusions.

20 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of conductive protrusions comprise fins protruding at least 50 microns from said first structural layer and having an aspect ratio between approximately 2.5:1 and 500:1.

21 . The three-dimensional battery of claim 1 , further comprising a separator between at least one of said cathodes and one of said anodes.

22 . A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional battery, comprising:
providing a first structural layer, said structural layer having a first surface; forming a first plurality of conductive protrusions extending from said first surface of said first structural layer; forming a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes contacts the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein forming said first plurality of electrodes comprises forming a plurality of cathodes by electrophoretic deposition.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein forming said first plurality of electrodes comprises forming a plurality of anodes by electrophoretic deposition.

25 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
forming a plurality of non-active backbone protrusions extending from said first surface of said structural layer; and wherein forming a first plurality of conductive protrusions comprises forming a conductive layer overlying an outer surface of each of said non-active backbone protrusions.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein forming said first plurality of electrodes comprises varying the thickness of each of said first plurality of electrodes.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein forming the first plurality of electrodes comprises forming a plurality of cathodes by electrophoretic deposition.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein forming the first plurality of electrodes comprises forming a plurality of anodes by electrophoretic deposition.

29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein forming the plurality of cathodes comprises electrophoretic deposition of LiCoO 2 .

30 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising separating the conductive layer between each of the plurality of non-active backbone protrusions.

31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the step of forming each of said cathodes comprises electrophoretic deposition of LiCoO 2 until a layer thickness between approximately 1 micron and approximately 300 microns is formed.

32 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
providing a second structural layer, said second structural layer having a second surface substantially opposing said first surface; forming a second plurality of conductive protrusions extending from said second surface of said second structural layer and substantially parallel to said first plurality of conductive protrusions; and forming a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of said second plurality of electrodes contacts the outer surface of one of said second plurality of conductive protrusions.

Assignees

• Enovix Corp

Inventors

• Rust Iii Harrold J
• Lahiiri Ashok
• Ramasubramanian Murali
• Spotnitz Robert M

Classifications

• H01M4/0438

  by electrochemical processing (electroless electrochemical plating C23C18/54) · CPC title

• H01M6/40

  Printed batteries {, e.g. thin film batteries} · CPC title

• H01M4/0426

  Sputtering · CPC title

• H01M10/0472 Primary

  Vertically superposed cells with vertically disposed plates · CPC title

• H01M4/0428

  Chemical vapour deposition · CPC title