Hybrid thin-film battery

• US 8,445,130 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Infinite Power Solutions, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Neudecker, Bernd J., Snyder, Shawn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walls, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US11/561,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20070184345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/137
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0068 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0457 from dispersions or suspensions; Electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/134 Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/366 as layered products
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/405 Alloys based on lithium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• 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 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

An electrochemical device is claimed and disclosed wherein certain embodiments have a cathode greater than about 4 μm and less than about 200 μm thick; a thin electrolyte less than about 10 μm thick; and an anode less than about 30 μm thick. Another claimed and disclosed electrochemical device includes a cathode greater than about 0.5 μm and less than about 200 μm thick; a thin electrolyte less than about 10 μm thick; and an anode less than about 30 μm thick, wherein the cathode is fabricated by a non-vapor phase deposition method. The electrochemical device may also include a substrate, a current collector, an anode current collector, encapsulation and a moderating layer.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device comprising:

a non-vapor phase deposited positive cathode greater than about 0.5 μ

m thick and less than about 200 μ

m thick;

a layer on the positive cathode;

a vapor phase deposited electrolyte less than about 10 μ

m thick deposited over the layer on said positive cathode;

a negative anode less than about 30 μ

m thick is positioned directly on the vapor phase deposited electrolyte.

2. The electrochemical device of claim 1, further comprising a substrate.

3. The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein the cathode is adjacent to the substrate.

4. The electrochemical device of claim 2, further comprising said substrate of up to about 50 μ

m in thickness.

5. The electrochemical device of claim 2, further comprising said substrate of up to about 10 μ

m in thickness.

6. The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein said substrate is selected from the group of aluminum and aluminum alloys.

7. The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein said substrate comprises a current collector.

8. The electrochemical device of claim 2, further comprising a barrier layer on said substrate.

9. The electrochemical device of claim 8, wherein said barrier layer is adapted to prevent electrons from migrating between the substrate and either the anode or cathode.

10. The electrochemical device of claim 8, wherein said barrier layer is adapted to prevent ions from migrating between the substrate and either the anode or cathode.

11. The electrochemical device of claim 1, further comprising a current collector.

12. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is greater than about 5 μ

m and less than about 100 μ

m thick.

13. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is greater than about 30 μ

m and less than about 80 μ

m thick.

14. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is a thin-film electrolyte.

15. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited by slurry coating cathode powder material, binder material, and electrical conduction enhancer material.

16. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited using a Meyer rod coating technique.

17. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited using a direct roll coating technique.

18. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited using a reverse roll coating technique.

19. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited using a doctor blade technique.

20. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited by spin coating.

21. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited by electrophoretic deposition.

22. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is deposited by an ink-jetting process.

23. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode comprises pores, voids or crevices and a material selected from the group of inert metal, inert alloy, and carbonaceous material provided in said pores, voids or crevices of said cathode.

24. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode comprises LiCoO₂ or a derivative thereof.

25. The electrochemical device of claim 24, wherein said LiCoO₂ or derivative thereof is doped with elements selected from the group of elements from Groups 1 through 17 of the periodic table.

26. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode comprises a material from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiNiO₂, LiFePO₄, LiVO₂, and any mixture thereof.

27. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is formed into a structure with a plurality of vertical structures.

28. The electrochemical device of claim 27, wherein the plurality of vertical structures are formed using mechanical means.

29. The electrochemical device of claim 27, wherein the vertical structures have a height less than a maximum thickness of the cathode material.

30. The electrochemical device of claim 27, wherein said plurality of vertical structures are configured to decrease the average distance between any volume element within said cathode and the closest volume element of said electrolyte layer that is opposite to said cathode.

31. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is a composite cathode further comprising at least carbonaceous material.

32. The electrochemical device of claim 31, wherein said composite cathode has a shape including a plurality of vertical structures.

33. The electrochemical device of claim 32, wherein said plurality of vertical structures are configured to decrease the average distance between any volume element within said cathode and the closest volume element of said electrolyte layer that is opposite to said cathode.

34. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte comprises lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON).

35. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said anode is selected from lithium, lithium alloy, a metal that can form a solid solution or a chemical compound with lithium, and any lithium-ion compound that can serve as a negative anode.

36. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is deposited by a vacuum vapor phase growth method directly on said positive cathode.

37. The electrochemical device of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulation formed with an encapsulation process selected from vacuum vapor phase grown thin-film encapsulation, pressure-heat lamination of protective polymer composites, pressure-heat lamination of metal foils coated with pressure-heat sensitive adhesive surfaces, and metal canning

38. The electrochemical device of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulation grown by a vacuum vapor phase process.

39. The electrochemical device of claim 38, wherein said encapsulation consists of a multilayer stack of inorganic compounds and metals.

40. The electrochemical device of claim 38, wherein said encapsulation is thinner than about 10 μ

m.

41. The electrochemical device of claim 38, wherein said encapsulation is separated from the negative anode by an interposed modulation layer.

42. The electrochemical device of claim 41, wherein said modulation layer comprises LiPON.

43. The electrochemical device of claim 41, wherein said modulation layer consists of LiPON.

44. The electrochemical device of claim 1, further comprising an anode current collector.

45. The electrochemical device of claim 44, wherein a moisture barrier is interposed between said anode current collector and said electrolyte.

46. The electrochemical device of claim 45, wherein said moisture barrier comprises a material having moisture blocking properties, and is selected from metals, semi-metals, alloys, borides, carbides, diamond, diamond-like carbon, silicides, nitrides, phosphides, oxides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, and iodides.

47. The electrochemical device of claim 45, wherein said moisture barrier comprises a material having moisture blocking properties, and is selected from any multinary compounds composed of borides, carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides, oxides, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, and iodides.

48. The electrochemical device of claim 45, wherein said moisture barrier comprises a material having moisture blocking properties, and is selected from organic polymers and silicones.

89. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the layer is absorbed into the cathode.

49. An electrochemical device comprising:

a non-vapor phase deposited cathode;

a layer on the cathode

an anode; and

a vapor phase deposited electrolyte less than about 10 μ

m thick deposited over the layer on said cathode,

wherein the anode is positioned directly on the vapor phase deposited electrolyte.

50. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is greater than about 0.5 μ

m and less than about 200 μ

m thick.

51. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is greater than about 10 μ

m and less than about 100 μ

m thick.

52. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is greater than about 30 μ

m and less than about 80 μ

m thick.

53. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said anode is less than about 30 μ

m thick.

54. The electrochemical device of claim 49, further comprising a substrate.

55. The electrochemical device of claim 54, wherein said substrate has up to about a 50 μ

m thickness.

56. The electrochemical device of claim 54, wherein said substrate has up to about 10 μ

m thickness.

57. The electrochemical device of claim 54, wherein said substrate is selected from aluminum and aluminum alloys.

58. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said electrolyte is a thin-film electrolyte.

59. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited by slurry coating cathode powder material, binder, carbonaceous material, and electronic enhancer.

60. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited using a Meyer rod coating technique.

61. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited using a direct roll coating technique.

62. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited using a reverse roll coating technique.

63. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited by a doctor blade technique.

64. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited by spin coating.

65. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited by electrophoretic deposition.

66. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is deposited by an ink jetting process.

67. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is substantially absorbed with a material selected from the group of inter metal, inert alloy, and carbonaceous material.

68. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode comprises LiCoO₂.

69. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiMn₂O₄, LiMnO₂, LiNiO₂, LiFePO₄, LiVO₂, and any mixture thereof.

70. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is formed through mechanical means into a structure with a multitude of smaller vertical structures.

71. The electrochemical device of claim 70, wherein said multitude of smaller vertical structures decrease the average distance between any volume element within said cathode and the closest volume element of said electrolyte layer that is opposite to said cathode.

72. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said cathode is a composite cathode further comprising at least carbonaceous material.

73. The electrochemical device of claim 72, wherein said composite cathode comprises a multitude of vertical structures.

74. The electrochemical device of claim 73, wherein said multitude of vertical structures decrease the average distance between any volume element within said cathode and the closest volume element of said electrolyte layer that is opposite to said cathode.

75. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said electrolyte comprises Lithium Phosphorus Oxynitride (LiPON).

76. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said anode is selected from the group consisting of lithium, lithium alloy, a metal that can form a solid solution or a chemical compound with lithium, and any lithium-ion compound that can serve as a negative anode.

77. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said electrolyte is deposited directly on said cathode.

78. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said electrochemical device is encapsulated with a material selected from ceramic multi-layer thin-film encapsulate, polymer composite, metal foil, adhesive, and metal can.

79. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein said electrochemical device is encapsulated with an encapsulation grown by a vacuum vapor phase process.

80. The electrochemical device of claim 79, wherein said encapsulation consists of a multilayer stack of inorganic compounds and metals.

81. The electrochemical device of claim 79, wherein said encapsulation is thinner than 10 μ

m.

82. The electrochemical device of claim 79, wherein said encapsulation is separated from the negative anode by an interposed modulation layer.

83. The electrochemical device of claim 82, wherein said modulation layer comprises LiPON.

84. The electrochemical device of claim 82, wherein said modulation layer consists of LiPON.

85. The electrochemical device of claim 49, further comprising a cathode current collector.

86. The electrochemical device of claim 49, further comprising an anode current collector.

87. The electrochemical device of claim 86, wherein said anode current collector covered, at least in part, by a moisture barrier.

88. The electrochemical device of claim 87, wherein said moisture barrier comprises ZrO₂.

90. The electrochemical device of claim 49, wherein the layer is absorbed into the cathode.