Lithium Microbattery Microsupercapacitor Hybrid Power Supplies

Advances in microfabrication, integrated circuit technology, and sensor design, enable sensors, active RFID beacons, and integrated microsystems to be constructed at low cost. These systems will have applications in miniature kill vehicles (MKV), distributed unattended sensors for security and structural health monitoring, and active RFID beacons for inventory management. Critical to realizing these devices is a low cost, high energy density, minimum footprint power supply. TPL Inc. proposes to develop a unique MEMS Electrochemical Power Supply that will exploit TPL's patented volumetric lithium microbatteries and microsupercapacitors to deliver high energy and power densities in a minimum footprint, minimum volume package. In the proposed Phase I effort, TPL will combine new lithium microbatteries with integrated micro-supercapacitors and evaluate their energy storage and power delivery capabilities. Primary lithium batteries have a high energy density (~1000Whr/L, 3.6J/mm3), high voltage (3V), and good performance characteristics (high discharge rate capability, low cost). In a volumetric package, these devices deliver substantially increased capacity compared with thin film devices with the same footprint. The PI has pioneered the microfabrication technology that makes these devices possible, and is uniquely qualified to ensure delivery of a micro-power supply that will support MEMS applications in both commercial and military markets.