Methods of and device for encapsulation and termination of electronic devices

• US 20040029311A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Original Assignee: TFB, Inc. (H.U. Group Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaiswal, Shefali, Snyder, Shawn W., Bhat, Pawan K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,916,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/01 Means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected, e.g. chip-to-package, die-attach, "first-level" interconnects; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/126 comprising three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/172 Arrangements of electric connectors penetrating the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/191 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/552 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/18 with solid electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A novel method for production of and an apparatus for an encapsulated solid-state electrochemical device is disclosed. The present invention provides for electrical devices, such as, for example, thin-film batteries with sensitive chemistries that can survive environmental exposure while providing external electrical contact to the internal cell chemistry. The method of packaging of the present invention may include bonding one or more protective multi-layer laminates to the environmentally sensitive surfaces of an electronic device. The present invention may provide the advantage of avoiding entrapped air beneath the laminates.

Claims

1. An encapsulated electrochemical apparatus comprising a device having a first surface and a first laminate, wherein said laminate is bonded to at least a substantial portion of said first surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising said device having a second surface and a second laminate layer, wherein said second laminate layer is bonded to at least a portion said second surface of said device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and said second laminate layers are connected.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said laminate layers are connected by a technique selected from a group consisting of embossing, crimping, and fusing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a thin-film electrochemical device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device is selected from a group consisting of a battery and a solar cell.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more thin-film layers formed on a prepared substrate on said device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a contact attached to said device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said contact is bonded to a substrate of said device with a conductor composition paste.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first laminate layer comprises a pre-cut opening corresponding to the location of a contact.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a via through said substrate on said device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a contact connected to said via on said device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said contact is located on a second surface of said device.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a ceramic, a plastic, and a metal.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device comprises a multi-layered laminate.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device comprises a metal layer.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said metal layer on said device comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, nickel, chromium, silver, gold, barrier layer material, indium, magnesium, and calcium.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device comprises a slip-type film layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device is bonded to said first surface by electrical bonding.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said bonding comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of wire-bonding, using conductive adhesive, using conductive epoxy, using conductive ink, using cured conductor composition paste, spot welding, soldering, and ultrasonic bonding of metals.

22. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a conductor electrically bonded to said contact on said device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said conductor extends through an edge seal of said first laminate layer.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first surface of said device is planar.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said laminate is bonded to at least a substantial portion of said first surface by full planar surface bonding.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device comprises one or more sublayers selected from a group consisting of a sealant layer for thermal or adhesive bonding, a tie layer, a metallic layer, a plastic layer, and a glass barrier layer.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device is bonded by a technique selected from a group consisting of compressive force lamination, elevated temperature lamination, roll lamination, and vacuum bag lamination.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first laminate layer on said device is adapted to comprise an aperture.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical connector affixed to said first surface of said device.

30. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said contact comprises a metal contact.

31. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said contact is formed by deposition on said device.

32. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first contact connected to a second contact attached to said device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said first contact is a metal contact.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said second contact is a bonded contact.

35. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a copper-coated polyimide element is tack-bonded to said contact.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said copper-coated polyimide element is tackbonded with conductive ink.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said first laminate layer is adapted to cover said ink and said copper-coated polyimide.

38. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive backed conductive metal tape affixed to said first surface of said device.

39. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an over-layer laminate bonded to said device.

40. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an outer encapsulant affixed to said first surface.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said outer encapsulant material is selected from a group consisting of ceramic, plastic, and metal.

42. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

43. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device comprises less than about 10 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

44. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device comprises less than about 1 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

45. A method for producing an encapsulated electrochemical device comprising the steps of:

providing an electrochemical device;

providing a first laminate layer; and

bonding said first laminate layer to a substantial portion of a first surface of said electrochemical device.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising the steps of providing a second laminate layer and bonding said second laminate layer to a second surface of said device.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising the step of connecting said first and said second laminate layers.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein said step of connecting is accomplished by a technique selected from a group consisting of embossing, crimping, and fusing.

49. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of forming one or more thin-film layers on a prepared substrate.

50. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of attaching a contact to said device.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of attaching comprises selectively coating a substrate with a cured conductor composition paste.

52. The method of claim 50 further comprising the step of providing said first laminate layer with a pre-cut opening corresponding to the location of a contact.

53. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of providing a via through said substrate.

54. The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of connecting a contact to said via.

55. The method of claim 54 further comprising locating said contact on a second surface of said device.

56. The method of claim 51 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a ceramic, a plastic, and a metal.

57. The method of claim 45 wherein said first laminate layer comprises a multi-layered laminate.

58. The method of claim 45 wherein said first laminate layer comprises a metal layer.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein said metal layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, nickel, chromium, silver, gold, barrier layer, indium, magnesium, and calcium.

60. The method of claim 45 wherein said first laminate layer comprises a slip-type film layer.

61. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding said first laminate layer comprises electrical bonding.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein said bonding comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of wire-bonding, using conductive adhesive, using conductive epoxy, using conductive ink, using cured conductor composition paste, spot welding, soldering, and ultrasonic bonding of metals.

63. The method of claim 50 further comprising the step of electrically bonding a conductor to said contact.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein said step of electrically bonding comprises the step of extending said conductor through an edge seal of said first laminate layer.

65. The method of claim 45 wherein said first surface is planar.

66. The method of claim 62 wherein said step of electrically bonding comprises full planar surface bonding to a substantial portion of a first surface of said device.

67. The method of claim 45 wherein said first laminate layer comprises one or more layers selected from a group consisting of a sealant layer for thermal or adhesive bonding, a tie layer, a metallic layer, a plastic layer, a glass barrier layer, and an enhanced quality layer.

68. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding is accomplished by a technique selected from a group consisting of compressive force lamination, elevated temperature lamination, roll lamination, heated roll, and vacuum bag lamination.

69. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of adapting said first laminate layer to comprise an aperture prior to being bonded to said device.

70. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of affixing a mechanical connector to said first surface.

71. The method of claim 50 wherein said contact comprises a metal contact.

72. The method of claim 50 further comprises the step of attaching said contact to said device by deposition of a material on said first surface of said device.

73. The method of claim 45 further comprising connecting a first contact to a second contact attached to said device.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein said first contact is a metal contact.

75. The method of claim 73 wherein said second contact is a bonded contact.

76. The method of claim 50 further comprising the step of tack-bonding a copper-coated polyimide element to said contact.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein said step of tack-bonding said polyimide element is accomplished by tack-bonding with conductive ink.

78. The method of claim 77 further comprising the step of adapting said first laminate layer to cover said ink and said copper-coated polyimide element.

79. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of affixing an adhesive backed conductive metal tape to said first surface.

80. The method of claim 45 further comprising providing an over-layer laminate to said first surface of said device.

81. The method of claim 45 further comprising an outer encapsulant material affixed to said first surface further encapsulating said device.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein said outer encapsulant material is selected from a group consisting of ceramic, plastic, and metal.

83. The method of claim 45 wherein said encapsulated device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

84. The method of claim 45 wherein said encapsulated device comprises less than about 10 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

85. The method of claim 45 wherein said encapsulated device comprises less than about 1 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

86. The method of claim 50 further comprising the steps of:

providing exposure for said contact through pre-cut openings in said laminate layer; and

wire-bonding a lead to said contact.

87. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding further comprises the step of overlaying said first laminate layer with a conformal material during at least a portion of said step of bonding.

88. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding comprises displacing air by using compliant sheet materials on an opposite side of said first laminate from said device during at least a portion of said step of bonding.

89. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding further comprises displacing air by using a vacuum laminator during at least a portion of said step of bonding.

90. The method of claim 45 wherein said step of bonding further comprises monitoring shorting by depression control.

91. The method of claim 90 wherein said step of monitoring shorting comprises the steps of:

monitoring the amount of pressure applied;

monitoring the temperature at which the process is performed;

monitoring the conformity of the compressive surface; and

monitoring the amount of time for which these forces are applied.