Stacked Solid-State Battery Architecture for Higher Energy Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solid-state lithium batteries face limitations in charge capacity and volumetric energy density due to their single-cell configuration and high packaging overhead, which restricts their use in area-constrained applications.
Innovation Solution
A stacked solid-state battery design featuring multiple cells with a cathode current collector, solid-state electrolyte, anode current collector, and a conductive redistribution layer, allowing for high active battery area utilization and low packaging overhead, enabling a multi-cell architecture with customizable three-dimensional form factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a single-cell battery configuration is used, then the device structure is simple, but the charge capacity and volumetric energy density are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into multiple individual cells stacked together, with each cell containing distinct layers (cathode current collector, cathode, solid-state electrolyte, anode current collector, barrier/insulation film, conductive redistribution layer). This segmentation allows each cell to contribute independently to the total charge capacity while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar single-cell design to a three-dimensional stacked multi-cell architecture. By stacking cells vertically and utilizing conductive redistribution layers on sidewalls for electrical connections, the design maximizes charge capacity in the vertical dimension while reducing the horizontal footprint, thereby increasing volumetric energy density.
2Volume of stationary object
If extrinsic packaging is used for single-cell batteries, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the packaging overhead is high
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple battery cells are merged into a single stacked assembly where adjacent cells share common structural and electrical components. The conductive redistribution layers on the sidewalls serve as shared electrical interconnects between cells, and the barrier/insulation films provide both cell isolation and external protection. This merging eliminates the need for separate packaging around each individual cell, significantly reducing overall packaging overhead.
3Area of stationary object
If a large footprint is used to carry sufficient charge capacity, then the charge capacity is adequate, but the area utilization is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the footprint-capacity tradeoff by transitioning to a vertical stacking architecture. Multiple cells are stacked in the vertical dimension, allowing the battery to achieve high charge capacity without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint. The conductive redistribution layers on the sidewalls enable efficient electrical connections in this three-dimensional configuration, maximizing area utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A solid-state battery and methods of making the same are disclosed. The battery includes a plurality of cells and first and second terminals on opposite sides/edges of the battery. Each cell includes a cathode current collector (CCC), a cathode thereon, a solid-state electrolyte, an anode current collector (ACC), a barrier/insulation film, a via/opening in the barrier/insulation film exposing the ACC, and a conductive redistribution layer on the ACC in the via/opening, on the barrier/insulation film, and on a first sidewall of each cell. The barrier/insulation film encapsulates the CCC, the cathode, the solid-state electrolyte and the ACC. The first sidewall of each cell is on one of the sides/edges of the battery. One terminal is electrically connected to each ACC through the redistribution layer, and the other is electrically connected to each cathode or CCC.