Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium metal battery having a lithium metal electrode including a cathode, an anode, a separator positioned between the cathode and the anode, an electrolyte, and a lithium metal negative electrode. The lithium metal negative electrode includes a lithium reactive metal layer, the lithium reactive metal layer being formed on a support conductive layer. A dendrite-suppressing coating is formed over the lithium reactive metal layer; the dendrite-suppressing coating is a displacement-reacted metal including silver reacted from decomposition of a silver salt and having an interface reaction product formed from a reaction between the silver salt and the lithium reactive metal layer. The interface reaction product is positioned between the displacement-reacted metal layer and the lithium reactive metal layer. The dendrite suppressing coating permits lithium metal ions to permeate the coating to react electrolytically in an overall battery reaction.

Abstract: A lithium-based battery including an electrolyte having at least two lithium salts selected from LiPF6, LiTFSI, LiFSI or LiBF4, along with a further lithium salt additive. Through the selection of particular lithium salt combinations, a high lithium ion concentration in the electrolyte is maintained. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, and a porous polymer separator. The lithium-based battery has reliable capacity retention at high discharge rates, such as 10C to 15C.

Abstract: An amorphous composite solid electrolyte is provided that includes one or more three-dimensional branched macromolecules with a core portion and at least three arm portions connected to the core portion. Each arm portion includes a random copolymer or a block polymer comprising a first monomer and a second monomer with a molar ratio of the first monomer to the second monomer in the range from greater than 0 to less than or equal to 1. An ion conductive electrolytic solution including at least one lithium salt solution in an amount of approximately 1 mol/l to 10 mol/l is entrained within the branched macromolecule, with a weight ratio of the branched macromolecule to the ion conducive electrolytic solution equal to or lower than 1:9, such that the branched macromolecule has a swelling degree of at least 5:1 (liquid:polymer in weight) of the ion conductive electrolytic solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an in situ thermally-curable electrolyte. The thermally-curable electrolyte is cured from the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution including a first crosslinking agent, a second crosslinking agent, an initiator, an electrolyte solvent, an electrolyte salt, one or more electrolyte additives, and one or more monomers or a monomer polymerization product. The viscosity of the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is below 200 cps such that the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is infiltrated within the separator and the pores inside the cathode and anode layers then cured to form porous separator and porous electrodes fully permeated with a solid electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium metal battery having a lithium metal electrode including a cathode, an anode, a separator positioned between the cathode and the anode, an electrolyte, and a lithium metal negative electrode. The lithium metal negative electrode includes a lithium reactive metal layer, the lithium reactive metal layer being formed on a support conductive layer. A dendrite-suppressing coating is formed over the lithium reactive metal layer; the dendrite-suppressing coating is a displacement-reacted metal including silver reacted from decomposition of a silver salt and having an interface reaction product formed from a reaction between the silver salt and the lithium reactive metal layer. The interface reaction product is positioned between the displacement-reacted metal layer and the lithium reactive metal layer. The dendrite suppressing coating permits lithium metal ions to permeate the coating to react electrolytically in an overall battery reaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an in situ thermally-curable electrolyte. The thermally-curable electrolyte is cured from the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution including a first crosslinking agent, a second crosslinking agent, an initiator, an electrolyte solvent, an electrolyte salt, one or more electrolyte additives, and one or more monomers or a monomer polymerization product. The viscosity of the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is below 200 cps such that the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is infiltrated within the separator and the pores inside the cathode and anode layers then cured to form porous separator and porous electrodes fully permeated with a solid electrolyte.

Abstract: An amorphous composite solid electrolyte is provided that includes one or more three-dimensional branched macromolecules with a core portion and at least three arm portions connected to the core portion. Each arm portion includes a random copolymer or a block polymer comprising a first monomer and a second monomer with a molar ratio of the first monomer to the second monomer in the range from greater than 0 to less than or equal to 1. An ion conductive electrolytic solution including at least one lithium salt solution in an amount of approximately 1 mol/l to 10 mol/l is entrained within the branched macromolecule, with a weight ratio of the branched macromolecule to the ion conducive electrolytic solution equal to or lower than 1:9, such that the branched macromolecule has a swelling degree of at least 5:1 (liquid:polymer in weight) of the ion conductive electrolytic solution.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention provides a method for optimizing an electrodeposition process of a plurality of vias in a wafer. Instead of simulating a large number of via on the wafer for via filling, a representative via is selected with the maximum value of critical factor, which is a function of process parameters. The filling of the representative via is simulated with different sampling points to find out the filling goodness in order to find out the optimized process windows of process parameters. An optimizer is also disclosed, which either provides sampling points or reduces sampling points under artificial neural network method. Calculation of filling goodness is used for evaluating via filling quality and further comparing among via fillings simulated at different sampling points. Consequently, the method of present invention is able to shorten the simulation time for via filling as well as provide a process window with high accuracy.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention provides a method for optimizing an electrodeposition process of a plurality of vias in a wafer. Instead of simulating a large number of via on the wafer for via filling, a representative via is selected with the maximum value of critical factor, which is a function of process parameters. The filling of the representative via is simulated with different sampling points to find out the filling goodness in order to find out the optimized process windows of process parameters. An optimizer is also disclosed, which either provides sampling points or reduces sampling points under artificial neural network method. Calculation of filling goodness is used for evaluating via filling quality and further comparing among via fillings simulated at different sampling points. Consequently, the method of present invention is able to shorten the simulation time for via filling as well as provide a process window with high accuracy.

Abstract: A rapid and inexpensive technique for generating nanotextured surfaces is disclosed. The technique involves the (1) creation of regular, nanometer-sized template by microwave assisted hydro- or solvo-thermal treatment of polymer films coated on surfaces followed by (2) coating of a layer of metal, metal oxides, polymers and inorganic materials. The nanometer-sized polymer template could be removed to create regularly shaped, hollow nanostructures (e.g., nano-bottles, nano-bowls, nano-holes etc.).

Abstract: A rapid and inexpensive technique for generating nanotextured surfaces is disclosed. The technique involves the (1) creation of regular, nanometer-sized template by microwave assisted hydro- or solvo-thermal treatment of polymer films coated on surfaces followed by (2) coating of a layer of metal, metal oxides, polymers and inorganic materials. The nanometer-sized polymer template could be removed to create regularly shaped, hollow nanostructures (e.g., nano-bottles, nano-bowls, nano-holes etc.).