Abstract: A folded solid-state battery cell stack and a method of making the same are disclosed. The folded battery cell stack includes a flexible substrate and solid-state battery cells thereon. Each battery cell includes a cathode on or over the substrate, a solid-state electrolyte on the cathode, an anode current collector (ACC) on the solid-state electrolyte, an insulator layer on the ACC and having a sidewall portion, and a conductive redistribution layer on the insulator layer, including the sidewall portion, in ohmic contact with the ACC. The substrate includes a bend between adjacent solid-state battery cells, and the redistribution layer along the sidewall portion of each solid-state battery cell is aligned with other redistribution layers along other sidewall portions in the stack. The method includes forming the cells on the substrate and folding the substrate at a gap between adjacent solid-state battery cells.

Abstract: A stackable solid-state battery cell, a packaged solid-state battery including the same, and a method of making the same are disclosed. The battery cell includes a substrate, a cathode on or over the substrate, a solid-state electrolyte on the cathode, an anode current collector (ACC) on the solid-state electrolyte, an insulator layer on the ACC having a sidewall portion, a conductive redistribution layer on the insulator layer, including the sidewall portion, in electrical contact with the ACC, and a printed adhesive on a major surface of the cell. The packaged solid-state battery includes a plurality of the stackable solid-state battery cells and battery terminals in electrical contact with an active layer of each cell. The method includes printing the adhesive on the major surface, which can be the outermost surface of the redistribution layer and the insulator layer, or the substrate surface opposite from the cathode.

Abstract: A solid-state battery cell and a method of making the same are disclosed. The battery cell includes a substrate, a cathode on or over the substrate, a solid-state electrolyte on the cathode, an anode current collector (ACC) on the solid-state electrolyte, a conductive bump on the ACC, an insulator layer on the ACC and having a sidewall portion, and a conductive redistribution layer in ohmic contact with the conductive bump and on the insulator layer, including the sidewall portion. The insulator layer surrounds the conductive bump and exposes a surface of the conductive bump. The method includes printing the conductive bump on the ACC, printing the insulator layer on the ACC and a sidewall of the ACC, solid-state electrolyte, cathode and substrate, and forming the conductive redistribution layer on the exposed conductive bump and the insulator layer, including the sidewall portion.

Abstract: A method of making a lithium metal oxide film is disclosed. The method includes blanket-depositing a cathode material, a solid-state electrolyte, and an anode current collector (ACC) material on a substrate, laser-patterning the ACC material to define the solid-state battery cells and form an ACC in each of the cells, and cutting or dicing the solid-state battery cells through the electrolyte and the cathode material to form a cathode in each of the solid-state battery cells. The method avoids issues related to topography and wet patterning when making the cathode, electrolyte and ACC layers. The method also avoids the need to fabricate a physical mask, thereby enabling greater patterning flexibility, higher throughput and lower costs than photolithography.

Abstract: A solid-state battery and a method of making the same are disclosed. The battery includes a base frame or support, first and second exterior contacts on the base frame/support, stacked solid-state battery unit cells, first and second electrical connections, and encapsulation in contact with the base frame/support and covering the solid-state battery unit cells and the electrical connections. Each stacked solid-state battery unit cell is on a metal substrate and has exposed cathode and anode current collectors. The electrical connections respectively electrically connect the exposed cathode and anode current collectors to the first and second exterior contacts. The method includes forming the stacked solid-state battery unit cells on the base frame/support, forming the exterior contacts on the base frame/support, electrically connecting the exposed cathode and anode current collectors to the respective exterior contacts, and encapsulating the solid-state battery unit cells and the electrical connections.

Abstract: A solid-state battery cell, a solid-state battery, and methods of making the same are disclosed. The solid-state battery cell includes a cathode current collector, a cathode on the cathode current collector, a low-impedance interface film on the cathode, a solid-state electrolyte on or over the low-impedance interface film, a lithiophilic layer on or over the solid-state electrolyte, and an anode current collector on or over the lithiophilic layer. The low-impedance interface film may include an oxide, a nitride or an oxynitride of lithium and a metal selected from aluminum, silicon and titanium, carbon, a metal oxide, fluoride, oxyfluoride or phosphate, or an alkali metal borate, and may have a thickness of 5-100 ?, for example. The lithiophilic layer may be or include a metal oxide, silicate, aluminate or fluoride, or an elemental metal or metalloid, and may have a thickness of 5 ? to 1 ?m, for example.

Abstract: A cylindrical solid-state battery and methods of making the same are disclosed. The battery includes a solid-state battery cell wound, wrapped or rolled around a core or itself, first and second terminals on opposite ends of the battery, and packaging between the first and second terminals, sealing the cell therein. The cell comprises a cathode current collector (CCC), a cathode on the CCC, a solid-state electrolyte on the cathode, an anode current collector (ACC) on the electrolyte, an insulation film on the ACC with an opening therein exposing the ACC, and a conductive redistribution layer in the opening and on the insulation film and a first sidewall of the cell. One of the terminals is electrically connected to the ACC through the redistribution layer, and the other terminal is electrically connected to the cathode or CCC on the opposite end of the battery.

Abstract: A multilayer solid-state electrolyte, solid-state battery cells including the same, and methods of making the electrolyte and the battery cells are disclosed. The multi-layer solid-state electrolyte includes a solid bulk electrolyte layer comprising carbon-doped lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) or WO3+x (where 0?x?1), and a solid anode interface layer comprising LiPON or a metal oxide that forms a stable complex oxide with lithium oxide and conducts lithium ions when lithiated. The anode interface layer has a thickness less than that of the bulk electrolyte layer. The method of making the multi-layer solid-state electrolyte includes depositing one of the solid bulk electrolyte layer and the solid anode interface layer on an active layer of a battery cell, then depositing the other layer on the one layer. As for the solid-state electrolyte, the anode interface layer has a thickness less than that of the bulk electrolyte layer.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 moat in the cathode and the electrolyte and around the ACC, a barrier/insulation film, a via/opening in the barrier/insulation film exposing the ACC, and a conductive redistribution layer in the via/opening, in the moat, 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. One terminal is electrically connected to each ACC through the redistribution layer, and the other is electrically connected to each cathode or CCC.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a battery and a method of making the same. The battery includes first and second metal substrates, a first solid-state and/or thin-film battery cell on the first metal substrate, a second solid-state and/or thin-film battery cell on the second metal substrate, and a hermetic seal in a peripheral region of the first and second metal substrates. The first and second battery cells are between the first and second metal substrates, and face each other. The method includes respectively forming first and second solid-state and/or thin-film battery cells on first and second metal substrates, placing the second battery cell on the first battery cell so that the first and second battery cells are between the first and second metal substrates, and hermetically sealing the first and second battery cells in a peripheral region of the first and second metal substrates.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a barrier stack for thin film and/or printed electronics on substrates having a diffusible element and/or species, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of inhibiting or preventing diffusion of a diffusible element or species in a substrate using the same. The barrier stack includes a first barrier layer on the substrate, an insulator layer on the first barrier layer, a second barrier layer on the insulator layer in a first region of the substrate, and a third barrier layer on the insulator layer in a second region of the substrate and on the second barrier layer in the first region. Each of the second and third barrier layers has a thickness less than that of the first barrier layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a battery and a method of making the same. The battery includes first and second metal substrates, a first solid-state and/or thin-film battery cell on the first metal substrate, a second solid-state and/or thin-film battery cell on the second metal substrate, and a hermetic seal in a peripheral region of the first and second metal substrates. The first and second battery cells are between the first and second metal substrates, and face each other. The method includes respectively forming first and second solid-state and/or thin-film battery cells on first and second metal substrates, placing the second battery cell on the first battery cell so that the first and second battery cells are between the first and second metal substrates, and hermetically sealing the first and second battery cells in a peripheral region of the first and second metal substrates.

Abstract: A battery management system having configurable batteries is disclosed. The battery management system generally includes (a) one or more cell control units, each cell control unit configured to control and/or balance a charge in a plurality of battery cells, and (b) a master controller in electrical communication with cell control unit(s). The cell control unit(s) as a whole include one or more switches, configured to be electrically connected to a first battery cell of a plurality of battery cells, and a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor electrically (i) connected to one switch and (ii) connected or connectable to a second battery cell. The master controller is configured to open or close each switch. The configurable battery generally includes a plurality of battery cells and switches configured to connect or disconnect the plurality of battery cells in a configurable or predetermined manner.