Microscopic batteries for MEMS systems
First Claim
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1. In combination, at least one MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) and a source of electrical energy internal within the MEMS comprising a microscopic battery.
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Abstract
Microscopic batteries, integratable or integrated with and integrated circuit, including a MEMS microcircuit, and methods of microfabrication of such microscopic batteries are disclosed.
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Citations
102 Claims
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1. In combination, at least one MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) and a source of electrical energy internal within the MEMS comprising a microscopic battery.
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2. In combination, at least one MEMS, at least one microcircuit and a microscopic battery integrated with the MEMS and the microcircuit as an low power loss internal source of electrical energy.
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3. In combination, at least one microelectronic circuit and a microscopic battery integrated with the microelectronic circuit as an internal low power loss source of electrical energy.
- 4. In combination, a microscopic circuit, at least one MEMS device and an aqueous microscopic battery integrated with the microscopic circuit and the MEMS device as an internal low power loss source of electrical energy.
- 10. A microscopic battery integrated or integratable with a microelectronic circuit and/or a MEMS device to provide long term power and to materially limit power losses, the microscopic battery comprising a body of material having low weight, a microscopic cathode, a microscopic anode and a microscopic amount of electrolyte contained within a microscopic space in the body.
- 21. A microscopic rechargeable battery adapted for direct integration with MEMS and/or microcircuitry to significantly reduce power losses, the microscopic rechargeable battery comprising etched spaced electrodes comprising microscopically thin layers with a microscopic space containing electrolyte interposed between the spaced electrodes.
- 33. A microscopic rechargeable battery adapted for direct integration into a MEMS or non-MEMS microcircuit to significantly alleviate power losses, the battery comprising at least one cell comprised of separated microscopic electrodes etched and patterned in place to define a microscopic electrolyte storage space between the etched microscopic electrodes.
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41. A method comprising the steps of:
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fabricating a microscopic battery;
integrating the microscopic battery into a MEMS as an internal source of electrical power.
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42. A method comprising the steps of:
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fabricating a microscopic battery;
integrating the microscopic battery with a MEMS and a microcircuit as a low power loss long term internal source of electrical power.
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43. A method comprising the steps of:
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fabricating a microscopic battery;
integrating the microscopic battery into a microscopic circuit as a low power loss internal source of electrical power.
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44. A method comprising the steps of:
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fabricating a microscopic battery by interconnecting a plurality of microscopic battery cells;
directly integrating the microscopic battery into a microelectronic circuit and/or a MEMS device as an internal source of electrical power. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of making a microscopic battery comprising the steps of:
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forming spaced thin film microscopic electrode layers upon non-conducting material;
etching away undesired portions of at least one thin film microscopic electrode layer;
interposing electrolyte between the remaining microscopic electrode layers. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. A method of making a microscopic battery comprising the steps of:
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forming several microscopic battery cells by depositing spaced thin film microscopic electrode layers on non-conducting material of each cell;
removing undesired portions of at least one thin film microscopic electrode layer of each cell;
interposing electrolyte between the microscopic electrode layers of each cell;
electrically connecting the cells in a desired arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A microscopic battery comprising a thin microscopic rod-shaped electrode surrounded by electrolyte which is enclosed by a microscopic electrode which surrounds the electrolyte.
- 65. A multi-cell rechargeable microscopic battery which is energy efficient and characterized by low power losses for integration into MEMS and non-MEMS microcircuitry, the microscopic battery comprising a plurality of interconnected microscopic battery cells, each cell comprising a microscopic cathode, a microscopic anode and a microscopic quantity of electrolyte enclosed within a casing.
- 70. A microscopic conformal microscopic battery comprising a flexible layer for contiguous mounting on a non-flat surface and at least one microscopic cell mounted on one side of the flexible layer and comprised of two microscopic electrodes and a microscopic amount of electrolyte encased within an enclosure.
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74. In combination, at least one MEMS and a rechargeable microscopic battery comprising an integrated internal source of electrical energy within the MEMS.
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75. In combination, a MEMS, a microcircuit and a rechargeable microscopic battery comprising a fully integrated internal source of electrical energy to the MEMS and microcircuit with low power losses associated therewith.
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76. In combination, a microelectronic circuit and a rechargeable battery comprising an integrated internal source of electrical energy within the micro electronic circuit having low power losses associated therewith.
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77. In combination, a microcircuit and/or a MEMS and a microscopic battery fully integrated with the microcircuit and/or MEMS to internally supply electrical energy to the micro circuit and/or MEMS.
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78. An integrated microelectronics system comprising an internal microscopic battery formed simultaneously with the microelectronics system using thin film deposition, sacrificial layer and etching technology to jointly fabricate electrodes and electrolyte space for the microscopic battery, the components of the microelectronics system and integrated conductors spanning between the electrodes and system.
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79. A MEMS circuit and a microscopic battery fully and simultaneously integrated into the MEMS device as an internal source of electrical energy, the MEMS and the microscopic battery being formed in common using thin film deposition, sacrificial layer removal and etching techniques.
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80. A microcircuit and a microscopic battery simultaneously to comprise common thin film elements which span between the microscopic battery and the microcircuit, the common thin film elements being formed using metallic deposition, sacrificial layer removal and etching techniques.
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81. A microscopic battery comprising a pair of microscopic electrodes, a microscopic amount of electrolyte disposed in a microscopic site, an area as low as 50 μ
- m×
50 μ
m and a volume as low as 50 μ
m×
50 μ
m×
50 μ
m.
- m×
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82. In stacked combination, a rigid non-conductive base, a microscopic battery superimposed upon the base and a microcircuit superimposed upon and integrated with the microscopic battery.
- 83. A microscopic battery comprising microscopic electrodes and a microscopic amount of electrolyte having low power loss characteristics and a power discharge capability within the range of 10 W/cm2 of area and 0.01 W/cm2 of area or less.
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86. A microscopic battery comprising spaced concentric electrodes with electrolyte concentrically interposed between the electrodes.
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87. A method of making a microscopic battery comprising the steps of:
- providing extrudable sources of cathode material, anode material and electrolyte materially and extruding the three materials simultaneously in concentric relation with the extruded electrolyte material interposed between the extruded anode and cathode materials.
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88. A microscopic battery comprising features including spaced microscopic electrodes and a microscopic cavity containing electrolyte, at least one feature having a dimension as small as ½
- micron.
- 89. A conformable microscopic battery comprising a first microscopic electrode in the form of a wire, electrolyte concentrically disposed around the wire and a second hollow tubular electrode concentrically surrounding the electrolyte.
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93. In combination, at least one microelectronic circuit and a microscopic battery comprising at least three of microscopic battery cells, at least one interconnection being disposed between at least some of the cells, the at least one interconnection comprising a switch by which the configuration of the cells is changed.
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94. A rechargeable small area microscopic battery comprising first and second thin spaced microscopic electrodes and a microscopic amount of aqueous electrolyte disposed in a microscopic cavity between the thin microscopic electrodes.
- 95. A method of making a microscopic battery comprising seriatim depositing a as thin films a microscopic first electrode, a spacer and a microscopic second electrode, etching a part of the spacer to create a microscopic cavity and filling the microscopic cavity with aqueous electrolyte through a passageway in one of the thin films.
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98. A method of confirming the size of at least one feature of a microscopic battery comprising the step of:
- concurrently fabricating the microscopic battery and a substantially similar test battery using substantially the same fabrication step and examining at least one feature of the test battery to ascertain the at least one feature of the microscopic battery.
- View Dependent Claims (99, 100)
- 101. A method of unitarily fabricating an integrated circuit and microscopic battery as an internal part of the integrated circuit comprising seriatim depositing as thin films a first microscopic electrode layer, a separator layer and a second microscopic electrode layer while similarly fabricating the integrated circuit at the same site and electrically interconnecting the microscopic battery to the integrated circuit.
Specification