Integrated capacitor-like battery and associated method

Abstract

A method and system for fabricating solid-state energy-storage and energy-conversion devices including fabrication of films for devices without an anneal step, especially for the fabrication of supercapacitors and photovoltaic cells. A film is fabricated by depositing a first material layer to a location. Energy is supplied directly to the material forming the film. The energy can be in the form of energized ions of a second material. Supplying energy directly to the material and / or the film being deposited assists the growth of the crystalline structure of the film and controls stoichiometry.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED INVENTIONS [0001] This application is a continuation under 37 CFR 1.53(b) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 815,621 filed Mar. 23, 2001, titled “Integrated Capacitor-Like Battery and Associated Method”, which claims priority from the following three provisional U.S. patent applications: Ser. No. 60 / 191,774 filed Mar. 24, 2000 (attorney docket SLWK 1327.001prv), titled “Comprehensive Patent for the Fabrication of a High Volume, Low Cost Energy Products Such as Solid State Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery, Supercapacitors and Fuel Cells;” Ser. No. 60 / 225,134 filed Aug. 14, 2000 (attorney docket SLWK 1327.003prv), titled “Apparatus and Method for Rechargable Batteries and for Making and Using Batteries;” and Ser. No. 60 / 238,673 filed Oct. 6, 2000 (attorney docket SLWK 1327.005prv), titled “Battery Having Ultrathin Electrolyte,” each of which is incorporated herein by reference. [0002] This invention also is related to the following six co-pending applic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides methods for fabricating solid-state energy-storage devices with improved electrical characteristics. The invention involves depositing films on a substrate with specific crystal structures using energy-supplying ions. The energy is applied at a few atomic layers at a time, reducing the total energy applied to the film and its substrate. The invention also includes controlling the energy provided by the ions, using a seed layer to assist in forming desired crystal structures and fabricating the device on substrates with low thermal degradation temperatures. The invention also overcomes limitations of prior supercapacitor structures, providing a means for fabricating low internal resistance supercapacitor structures under economical manufacturing conditions."

Problems solved by technology

One drawback to portable devices is the need to include the power supply with the device.

Sufficient battery capacity can result in a power supply that is quite heavy or large compared to the rest of the device.

Another drawback of conventional batteries is the fact that some are fabricated from potentially toxic materials that may leak and be subject to governmental regulation.

In this method, the magnetron source provides sputtered material having energy of about 1-3 eV, which is insufficient to crystallize the cathode material to form desirable crystal structures that encourage ion movement into and out of the cathode material.

The anneal step 221 complicates and adds cost to the fabrication of this type of solid-state battery.

Further, the anneal step 221 precludes the use of any material as the substrate or other part of the battery thus formed that is unable to withstand the high anneal temperature.

However, such extensive processing steps and high-energy consumption lead to economic undesirability of this approach.

Moreover, high temperature annealing limits the applicability of such a process to a narrow array of substrates and devices.

However, photovoltaic cells have not significantly displaced fossil fuels as an electricity producing means.

Two factors that have retarded the wide spread commercial acceptance of photovoltaics are costs of mass producing such cells and the low efficiency of energy conversion by the cells.

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