Thin film battery and method for making same

• US 5,338,625 A
• Filed: 07/29/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Dudney, Nancy J., Bates, John B., Gruzalski, Greg R., Luck, Christopher F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dees, Jose G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARTS, SAMUEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/921,538
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 429/193, 429/127, 429/152, 429/218
• US Class Current: 429/322
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/58 Structural electrical arrangements for semiconductor devices not otherwise provided for , e.g. in combination with batteries H01L23/49593, H01L23/49596 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• 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: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Described is a thin-film battery, especially a thin-film microbattery, and a method for making same having application as a backup or primary integrated power source for electronic devices. The battery includes a novel electrolyte which is electrochemically stable and does not react with the lithium anode and a novel vanadium oxide cathode Configured as a microbattery, the battery can be fabricated directly onto a semiconductor chip, onto the semiconductor die or onto any portion of the chip carrier. The battery can be fabricated to any specified size or shape to meet the requirements of a particular application. The battery is fabricated of solid state materials and is capable of operation between -15° C. and 150° C.

Claims

1. A thin-film electrochemical cell comprising:

a) a substrate;

b) a first and a second electrically conductive film deposited on the surface of said substrate, said first and second films separated horizontally and said first film larger than said second film;

c) a third film of electrically conductive material deposited over said first film;

d) a fourth film of an electrolyte overlapping said third film to extend upon said first film and to partially extend upon said substrate separating said first and second films, said electrolyte having the composition Li_x PO_y Nz where x has an approximate value of 2.8, 2y=3z has an approximate value of 7.8 and z has a value between 0.16 and 0.46; and

e) a fifth film of electrically conductive and chemically active material deposited over the remainder of said substrate separating said first and second films and over substantially all of said second and said fourth films, said fifth film being electrochemically stable in contact with said fourth film.

2. The cell of claim 1 wherein the substrate material is selected from the group consisting of glass, alumina, semiconductor material and polymer material.

3. The cell of claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor chip, a semiconductor package and a semiconductor chip carrier.

4. The cell of claim 1 wherein the third conductive material is a metal oxide having an amorphous fine-grain morphology.

5. The cell of claim 4 wherein the diameter of said grain is less than 1 micron.

6. A macroelectrochemical cell comprising a plurality of series connected electrochemical cells made according to claim 1.