Thin film encapsulation for thin film batteries and other devices

• US 9,786,873 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
• Inventors: Neudecker, Bernd J., Snyder, Shawn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIDDIQUEE, MUHAMMAD S
• Application Number:
  US14/707,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• 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 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0068 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• 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 4/405 Alloys based on lithium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• 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 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/664 Ceramic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/667 in the form of layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/117 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/128 with two or more layers of only inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/133 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/545 : formed by the casing of the cells cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/185 : with oxides, hydroxides or oxysalts as solid electrolytes
• 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

An electrochemical device is claimed and disclosed, including a method of manufacturing the same, comprising an environmentally sensitive material, such as, for example, a lithium anode; and a plurality of alternating thin metallic and ceramic, blocking sub-layers. The multiple metallic and ceramic, blocking sub-layers encapsulate the environmentally sensitive material. The device may include a stress modulating layer, such as for example, a Lipon layer between the environmentally sensitive material and the encapsulation layer.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device comprising:

an environmentally sensitive layer; and

an encapsulation layer deposited over the environmentally sensitive layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes at least one electrically conductive area and at least one electrically insulating area, wherein the electrically conductive area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of metallic sub-layers or a plurality of conductive ceramic sub-layers and serves as an electrical terminal of the electrochemical device, and wherein the electrically insulating area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of non-conductive ceramic sub-layers and is electrically insulating.

2. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the metallic sub-layers comprise at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, carbon, silicon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

3. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive ceramic sub-layers comprise nitrides of at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, carbon, silicon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

4. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive ceramic sub-layers comprise oxides of at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, carbon, silicon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

5. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive ceramic sub-layers comprise carbides of at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, silicon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

6. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive ceramic sub-layers comprise silicides of at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, carbon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

7. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive ceramic sub-layers comprise borides of at least one element selected from the group consisting of:

scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, aluminum, carbon, silicon, germanium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.

8. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the environmentally sensitive layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of:

lithium alloy, lithium solid solution, metallic lithium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, palladium, silver, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, iridium, platinum, gold, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, boron, aluminum, indium, carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.

9. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-layer of the encapsulation layer is deposited using sputtering from a metallic target.

10. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-layer of the encapsulation layer is deposited using a dual sputter cathode deposition method.

11. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation layer is flexible.

12. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein a total thickness of every metallic sub-layer and every conductive ceramic sub-layer in the electrically conductive area is less than about 5 μ

m.

18. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a selectively conductive pattern having the electrically conductive area lateral to the electrically insulating area.

13. An electrochemical device comprising:

a cathode;

an electrolyte deposited on the cathode;

an environmentally sensitive anode deposited on the electrolyte;

a modulating layer on the anode; and

an encapsulation layer on the modulating layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes at least one electrically conductive area and at least one electrically insulating area, wherein the electrically conductive area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of metallic sub-layers or a plurality of conductive ceramic sub-layers and serves as an electrical terminal of the electrochemical device, and wherein the electrically insulating area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of non-conductive ceramic sub-layers and is electrically insulating.

14. The electrochemical device of claim 13, wherein the total thickness of every metallic sub-layer and every conductive ceramic sub-layer in the electrically conductive area is less than about 5 μ

m.

19. The electrochemical device of claim 13, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a selectively conductive pattern having the electrically conductive area lateral to the electrically insulating area.

15. An electrochemical device comprising:

a cathode greater than 0.5 μ

m and less than 200 μ

m thick;

an electrolyte less than 5 μ

m thick;

an anode greater than about 0.1 μ

m and less than 30 μ

m thick;

an encapsulation layer over the anode, wherein the encapsulation layer includes at least one electrically conductive area and at least one electrically insulating area, wherein the electrically conductive area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of metallic sub-layers and a plurality of conductive ceramic sub-layers and serves as an electrical terminal of the electrochemical device, and wherein the electrically insulating area of the encapsulation layer comprises a plurality of non-conductive ceramic sub-layers and is electrically insulating.

16. The electrochemical device of claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive area includes at least two metallic sub-layers and at least two conductive ceramic sub-layers.

17. The electrochemical device of claim 16, wherein a total thickness of every metallic sub-layer and every conductive ceramic sub-layer in the electrically conductive area is less than about 5 μ

m.

20. The electrochemical device of claim 15, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a selectively conductive pattern having the electrically conductive area lateral to the electrically insulating area.