LONG LIFE THIN FILM BATTERY AND METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20080003492A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oak Ridge Micro Energy
• Original Assignee: Oak Ridge Micro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,524,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• 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 2300/0068 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/386 Silicon or alloys based on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/387 Tin or alloys based on tin
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/11 having a chip structure, e.g. micro-sized batteries integrated on chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/131 characterised by physical properties, e.g. gas permeability, size or heat resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/193 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/197 having a layered structure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A method for improving the useful life of a thin film lithium-ion battery containing a solid electrolyte and an anode that expands on charging and long life batteries made by the method. The method includes providing a hermetic barrier package for the thin film battery that includes an anode expansion absorbing structure.

Claims

1. A method for improving the useful life of a thin film lithium-ion battery containing a solid electrolyte and an anode that expands on charging, comprising providing a hermetic barrier package for the thin film battery that includes an anode expansion absorbing structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic barrier package comprises a low permeability epoxy adhesive bead surrounding the anode and an oxygen and water vapor resistant cover attached to the adhesive bead providing an anode expansion gap between the cover and the anode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cover is selected from the group consisting of metal, glass, and ceramic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hermetic barrier package comprises a multilayer barrier foil containing a compressible polymeric film layer adjacent the anode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the compressible polymeric film layer adjacent the anode is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and an ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film battery comprises a lithium-ion battery containing an anode selected from the group consisting of silicon, tin, and silicon-tin alloys.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film battery comprises a lithium battery containing a metallic lithium anode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the thin film battery comprises a cathode selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiNiO₂, LiMn₂O₄, and V₂O₅.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film battery comprises a solid lithium phosphorus oxynitride electrolyte containing an aluminum ion dopant and a sulfide ion dopant wherein the atomic ratio of aluminum ion to phosphorus ion ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.3 and the sulfide ion to phosphorus ion (S/P) ratio in the electrolyte ranges from greater than 0 up to about 0.2.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the solid lithium phosphorus oxynitride electrolyte comprises a composition represented by the formula:

Li_tP_xAl_yO_uN_vS_w,

wherein 5x+3y=5 and 2u+3v+2w=5+t, and wherein for Al/P ratio ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.3, x ranges from about 0.94 to about 0.85, y ranges from about 0.094 to about 0.26, u ranges from about 3.2 to about 3.8, v ranges from about 0.13 to about 0.46, w ranges from greater than zero up to about 0.2, and t ranges from about 2.9 to 3.3.

11. A thin film lithium-ion battery having a solid electrolyte and an anode selected from the group consisting of silicon, tin, and silicon-tin alloys made by the method of claim 1.

12. A semiconductor diagnostic wafer comprising the thin film lithium-ion battery of claim 11.

13. A tubeless tire having sidewalls comprising a tire sensor containing the thin film lithium-ion battery of claim 11 laminated into the sidewalls of the tire.

14. A wireless sensor comprising the thin film lithium-ion battery of claim 11.

15. A thin film lithium-ion battery comprising, a cathode, a solid lithium-ion conducting electrolyte, an anode selected from the group consisting of silicon, tin, and silicon-tin alloys, and a hermetic seal for the thin film battery, wherein the hermetic seal comprises an anode expansion absorbing structure.

16. The thin film battery of claim 15, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a low permeability epoxy adhesive bead surrounding the anode and an oxygen and water vapor resistant cover attached to the adhesive bead, and wherein the hermetic seal includes an anode expansion gap between the anode and the cover.

17. The thin film battery of claim 16, wherein the cover is selected from the group consisting of metal, glass, and ceramic.

18. The thin film battery of claim 16, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a multilayer barrier foil containing a compressible polymeric film layer adjacent the anode.

19. The thin film battery of claim 18, wherein the compressible polymeric film layer adjacent the anode is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and an ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer.

20. The thin film battery of claim 16, wherein the cathode is selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiNiO₂, LiMn₂O₄, and V₂O₅.

21. The thin film battery of claim 16, wherein the electrolyte further comprises an aluminum ion dopant and a sulfide ion dopant wherein the atomic ratio of aluminum ion to phosphorus ion ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.3 and the sulfide ion to phosphorus ion (S/P) ratio in the electrolyte ranges from greater than 0 up to about 0.2.

22. The thin film battery of claim 21, wherein the electrolyte comprises a composition represented by the formula:

Li_tP_xAl_yO_uN_vS_w,

wherein 5x+3y=5 and 2u+3v+2w=5+t, and wherein for Al/P ratio ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.3, x ranges from about 0.94 to about 0.85, y ranges from about 0.094 to about 0.26, u ranges from about 3.2 to about 3.8, v ranges from about 0.13 to about 0.46, w ranges from greater than zero up to about 0.2, and t ranges from about 2.9 to 3.3.

23. A method of making multiple long-life thin film battery cells on a single substrate, comprising the steps of:

(a) depositing battery layers including cathodes, electrolytes, and anodes through appropriate masks onto the substrate;

(b) constructing a hermetic seal for each of the cells, wherein the hermetic seal comprises an anode expansion absorbing structure;

(c) measuring an open circuit voltage and resistance of each of the cells using a wafer prober in conjunction with a programmable electrometer to identify rejected cells;

(d) ink marking the rejected cells; and

(e) dicing the substrate to provide a plurality of thin film batteries.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of constructing a hermetic seal for each of the cells comprises:

(a) dispensing epoxy bead lines circumscribing each of the cells;

(b) attaching cover plates to the epoxy bead lines to cover each of the cells and provide an expansion gap between anodes of the cells and the cover plates; and

(c) curing the epoxy bead lines by a curing process selected from thermal curing and ultraviolet (UV) light curing.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of constructing a hermetic seal for each of the cells comprises:

vacuum laminating a barrier foil over each of the cells, wherein the barrier foil comprises a compressible polymeric film layer adjacent the anode.