Abstract: A thin film battery manufacturing method comprises annealing a battery substrate to a temperature at which organic materials are burned off the battery substrate to clean the battery substrate. The battery substrate comprises a thickness of less than about 100 microns. After annealing, a plurality of thin films are formed on the annealed battery substrate, the thin films comprising at least one electrolyte between a pair of electrodes, and the thin films adapted to generate or store an electrical charge. The thin films can also be annealed to remove defects in the thin films.

Abstract: A thin film battery manufacturing method is provided for deposition of lithium metal oxide films onto a battery substrate. The films are deposited in a sputtering chamber having a plurality of sputtering targets and magnetrons. The sputtering gas is energized by applying a voltage bias between a pair of the sputtering targets at a frequency of between about 10 and about 100 kHz. The method can provide a deposition rate of lithium cobalt oxide of between about 0.2 and about 4 microns/hr with improved film quality.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery module for powering an external electronic device comprises a rechargeable thin film battery, a receiving induction coil, and a battery control circuit. The battery control circuit comprises a rectifier circuit, a battery charging circuit to limit the charging voltage provided by the direct current to the battery to a maximum charging voltage, and a battery discharging circuit to terminate a discharge voltage from the battery to less than a predetermined discharge voltage. A pair of output terminals to provide an output voltage to an external electronic device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a battery comprises selecting a battery substrate having cleavage planes, and cutting the battery substrate with pulsed laser bursts from a pulsed laser beam to control or limit fracture along the cleavage planes. The pulsed laser beam was also found to work well on thin substrates which are sized less than 100 microns. Before or after the cutting step, a plurality of battery component films can be deposited on the battery substrate. The battery component films include at least a pair of electrodes about an electrolyte which cooperate to form a battery.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a battery, a substrate is annealed to reduce surface contaminants or even water of crystallization from the substrate. A series of battery component films are deposited on a substrate, including an adhesion film, electrode films, and an electrolyte film. An adhesion film is deposited on the substrate and regions of the adhesion film are exposed to oxygen. An overlying stack of cathode films is deposited in successive deposition and annealing steps.

Abstract: A thin film battery manufacturing method comprises annealing a battery substrate to a temperature at which organic materials are burned off the battery substrate to clean the battery substrate. The battery substrate comprises a thickness of less than about 100 microns. After annealing, a plurality of thin films are formed on the annealed battery substrate, the thin films comprising at least one electrolyte between a pair of electrodes, and the thin films adapted to generate or store an electrical charge. The thin films can also be annealed to remove defects in the thin films.

Abstract: A thin film battery comprises a substrate with a front side and a back side. A first battery cell is provided on the front side of the substrate, the first battery cell including an electrolyte between a pair of electrodes. A second battery cell is provided on the back side of the substrate, the second battery cell also including an electrolyte between a pair of electrodes. The battery is capable of providing an energy density of more than 700 wh/l and a specific energy of more than 250 wh/kg. A method of annealing a deposited thin film is also described.

Abstract: A battery comprises a substrate comprising an electrolyte between a pair of conductors, at least one conductor having a non-contact surface. A cap is spaced apart from the non-contact surface of the conductor by a gap having a gap distance dg of from about 1 ?m to about 120 ?m. The gap allows the conductor to expand into the gap. The gap is further bounded by side faces about a surrounding perimeter that may be sealed with a seal. In one version, the ratio of the surface area of the non-contact surfaces on the conductor to the total surface area of the side faces is greater than about 10:1. A pliable dielectric can also be provided in the gap.

Abstract: A battery comprises a substrate having a cathode with a lower surface contacting the substrate and an opposing upper surface. A cathode current collector comprises conducting lines that contact the upper surface of the cathode. An electrolyte at least partially extends through the cathode current collector and contacts the cathode. An anode contacts the electrolyte, and optionally, an anode current collector contacts the anode. Also, because the cathode is formed on the substrate before the cathode current collector, the cathode current collector advantageously does not have to be fabricated out of a metal that is capable of withstanding further processing of the cathode, such as annealing of the cathode.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a thin film battery in a chamber, a target comprising LiCoO2 is provided on a magnetron cathode in the chamber, and a substrate is placed facing the target. A process gas is introduced into the chamber and the process gas is energized to form a plasma to sputter the target to deposit LiCoO2 on the substrate. An ion flux of from about 0.1 to about 5 mA/cm2 is delivered from the plasma to the substrate to enhance the crystallinity of the deposited LiCoO2 material on the substrate. The process gas is exhausted from the chamber. The target can also be made of other materials.

Abstract: A thin film battery comprises a substrate with a front side and a back side. A first battery cell is provided on the front side of the substrate, the first battery cell including an electrolyte between a pair of electrodes. A second battery cell is provided on the back side of the substrate, the second battery cell also including an electrolyte between a pair of electrodes. The battery is capable of providing an energy density of more than 700 wh/l and a specific energy of more than 250 wh/kg. A method of annealing a deposited thin film is also described.

Abstract: A method of depositing lithium phosphorus oxynitride on a substrate, the method comprising loading a substrate into a vacuum chamber having a target comprising lithium phosphate, introducing a process gas comprising nitrogen into the chamber and maintaining the gas at a pressure of less than about 15 mTorr; and forming a plasma of the process gas in the chamber to deposit lithium phosphorous oxynitride on the substrate.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a thin film battery in a chamber, a target comprising LiCoO2 is provided on a magnetron cathode in the chamber, and a substrate is placed facing the target. A process gas is introduced into the chamber and the process gas is energized to form a plasma to sputter the target to deposit LiCoO2 on the substrate. An ion flux of from about 0.1 to about 5 mA/cm2 is delivered from the plasma to the substrate to enhance the crystallinity of the deposited LiCoO2 material on the substrate. The process gas is exhausted from the chamber. The target can also be made of other materials.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery has a battery cell at least partially enclosed by a casing. The battery cell comprises (1) a substrate; (2) a cathode and cathode current collector on the substrate, the cathode being electrically coupled to the cathode current collector; (3) an electrolyte electrically coupled to the cathode or cathode current collector; and (4) a permeable anode current collector having a first surface electrically coupled to the electrolyte and an opposing second surface, the permeable anode current collector: (1) having a thickness that is less than about 1000 Å and that is sufficiently small to allow cathode material to permeate therethrough to form an anode on the opposing second surface of the permeable anode current collector when the battery cell is electrically charged, and (2) that is absent an overlayer on the opposing second surface of the anode current collector. Positive and negative terminals are electrically connected to the battery cell.

Abstract: A thin film battery 10 comprises a substrate 12 which permits the battery 10 to be fabricated to provide higher energy density. In one embodiment, the substrate 12 of the battery 10 comprises mica. A crystalline lithium metal oxide film may be used as the cathode film 18.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery has a battery cell at least partially enclosed by a casing. The battery cell comprises (1) a substrate; (2) a cathode and cathode current collector on the substrate, the cathode being electrically coupled to the cathode current collector; (3) an electrolyte electrically coupled to the cathode or cathode current collector; and (4) a permeable anode current collector having a first surface electrically coupled to the electrolyte and an opposing second surface, the permeable anode current collector: (1) having a thickness that is less than about 1000 Å and that is sufficiently small to allow cathode material to permeate therethrough to form an anode on the opposing second surface of the permeable anode current collector when the battery cell is electrically charged, and (2) that is absent an overlayer on the opposing second surface of the anode current collector. Positive and negative terminals are electrically connected to the battery cell.

Abstract: A battery comprises a substrate having a cathode with a lower surface contacting the substrate and an opposing upper surface. A cathode current collector comprises conducting lines that contact the upper surface of the cathode. An electrolyte at least partially extends through the cathode current collector and contacts the cathode. An anode contacts the electrolyte, and optionally, an anode current collector contacts the anode. Also, because the cathode is formed on the substrate before the cathode current collector, the cathode current collector advantageously does not have to be fabricated out of a metal that is capable of withstanding further processing of the cathode, such as annealing of the cathode.

Abstract: A wear-resistant component comprises a workpiece having a coating comprising at least one crystalline layer comprising metal boride and at least one amorphous layer comprising metal and boron. The amorphous layer can further comprise one or more of carbon, nitrogen, halogen, or hydrogen. Preferably, the coating comprises a plurality of composite layers, each composite layer comprises a crystalline titanium diboride layer and an amorphous layer comprising metal and boron. The wear-resistant component has a wear rate of 3.5×10−6 mm3/nm, which is about 250 times lower than that of an uncoated component.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor having a high critical temperature is provided with a passivation coating comprising a first layer of a Group II oxide, such as magnesium oxide, and a second layer of a polymer, such as polyimide. The Group II oxide is formed under conditions to be substantially amorphous. After depositing the Group II, layer, the encapsulated superconductor is heated to an elevated temperature for a period of time in an oxidizing atmosphere. This restores the high critical temperature to its original value. The polymer is then coated on top of the Group II oxide and cured. The passivation coating is resistant to strong acids, strong bases, and water, is robust, hard, and resilient against scratching.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor having a high critical temperature is provided with a passivation coating comprising a first layer of a Group II oxide, such as magnesium oxide, and a second layer of a polymer, such as polyimide. The Group II oxide is formed under conditions to be substantially amorphous. After depositing the Group II layer, the encapsulated superconductor is heated to an elevated temperature for a period of time in an oxidizing atmosphere. This restores the high critical temperature to its original value. The polymer is then coated on top of the Group II oxide and cured. The passivation coating is resistant to strong acids, strong bases, and water, is robust, hard, and resilient against scratching.