Methods of and device for encapsulation and termination of electronic devices

• US 6,916,679 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Infinite Power Solutions, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhat, Pawan K., Jaiswal, Shefall, Snyder, Shawn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarneke, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEVSIKOV, VICTOR V
• Application Number:
  US10/215,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20040029311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 438/64, 438/65, 438/69, 438/51, 438/55, 429/305, 429/306, 429/310, 429/311, 136/259, 136/251
• US Class Current: 438/64
• 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 bonded to at least a substantial portion of said first surface;

wherein said device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

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

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

4. 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;

wherein said encapsulated device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said encapsulated device further comprises less than about 10 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said encapsulated device further comprises less than about 1 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

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

providing an electrochemical device;

providing a first laminate layer;

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

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.

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

providing an electrochemical device;

providing a first laminate layer;

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

displacing air by using a vacuum laminator during at least a portion of said step of bonding.

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

providing an electrochemical device;

providing a first laminate layer;

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

monitoring shorting by depression control.

10. The method of claim 9, 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.

11. A method for fabricating an encapsulated electrochemical device comprising:

providing a multi-layer laminate film comprising;

a bonding layer capable of bonding to the electrochemical device;

a barrier layer forming a substantially impervious layer that is not conductive to ions of the active metal of the electrochemical device; and

a non-releasable top coating upon the barrier layer; and

attaching said bonding layer to said electrochemical device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said barrier layer is in contact with at least one electrical terminal of said electrochemical device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said electrochemical device comprises a thin-film electrochemical device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said electrochemical device is selected from the group consisting of a lithium battery, a lithium-ion cell, a lithium-free cell, or a metallic lithium anode cell.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said multi-layer laminate film has pre-cut openings corresponding to the location of terminals of said electrochemical device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said electrochemical device includes a substrate with conducting vias through said substrate providing terminals on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the location of said multi-layer laminate film.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said bonding layer is a slip-type film layer.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching an electrical conductor to terminals of said electrochemical device by electrical bonding.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said attaching comprises a technique selected from the 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.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a metallically coated polymer element is tack-bonded with conductive ink to said electrical conductor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said bonding layer is adapted to cover said ink and said metallically coated polymer element.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein an electrical conductor extends through an edge seal of said bonding layer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a metallically coated polymer element is tack-bonded with conductive ink to said electrical conductor.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said bonding layer is adapted to cover said ink and said metallically coated polymer element.

25. The method of claim 11, wherein said bonding layer is bonded by a technique selected from the group consisting of compressive force lamination, elevated temperature lamination, roll lamination, and vacuum bag lamination.

26. The method of claim 11, wherein said device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

27. The method of claim 11 wherein said device comprises less than about 10 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

28. The method of claim 11 wherein said device comprises less than about 1 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

29. An encapsulated electrochemical device comprising:

an electrochemical device having a first surface;

a multi-layer laminate film provided on said first surface, said multi-layer film further comprising;

a bonding layer bonded to said first surface of said electrochemical device;

a barrier layer forming a substantially impervious layer that is not conductive to ions of the active metal of the electrochemical device on said bonding layer; and

a non-releasable top coating upon said barrier layer.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein said barrier layer is in contact with at least one electrical terminal of said electrochemical device.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein said electrochemical device comprises a thin-film electrochemical device.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein said electrochemical device is selected from the group consisting of a lithium battery, a lithium-ion cell, a lithium-free cell, and a metallic lithium anode cell.

33. The device of claim 29, said electrochemical device further comprising terminals and wherein said multi-layer laminate film has pre-cut openings corresponding to the location of said terminals of said electrochemical device.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein said electrochemical device further comprises a substrate with conducting vias through said substrate that serve as terminals on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the location of said multi-layer laminate film.

35. The device of claim 29, wherein said bonding layer is a slip-type film layer.

36. The device of claim 29, further comprising an electrical conductor electrically bonded to terminals provided on said electrochemical device.

37. The device of claim 36, further comprising a metallically coated polymer element tack-bonded with conductive ink to said electrical conductor.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein said bonding layer is adapted to cover said ink and said metallically coated polymer element.

39. The device of claim 36, wherein said electrical bond is selected from the group consisting of wire-bond, conductive adhesive, conductive epoxy, conductive ink, cured conductor composition paste, spot weld, solder, and ultrasonic bond of metals.

40. The device of claim 29, further comprising an electrical conductor extending through an edge seal formed by the interface of said first surface and said bonding layer.

41. The device of claim 40, comprising a metallically coated polymer element tack-bonded with conductive ink to said electrical conductor.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein said bonding layer is adapted to cover said ink and said metallically coated polymer element.

43. The device of claim 29, wherein said bonding layer is bonded by a technique selected from the group consisting of compressive force lamination, elevated temperature lamination, roll lamination, and vacuum bag lamination.

44. The device of claim 29, wherein said device comprises less than about 50 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

45. The device of claim 29, wherein said device comprises less than about 10 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.

46. The device of claim 29, wherein said device comprises less than about 1 percent encapsulated gas per unit volume.