Volumertric Microbatteries Using Soft Lithography

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop microelectronic systems that will increase speed and capability combined with smaller size. As the patterning/feature size of microelectronics continues to decrease, the need for power systems of smaller physical size emerges as a critical need. This project will develop novel microbatteries that will deliver a minimum-area, volumetric electrochemical energy source in a MEMS device. In order to realize minimum volume devices, the project approach will be to exploit zinc-air (Zn-air) chemistry that promises the highest energy density available for battery chemistries (36 J/mm3). The company has developed a novel microfabrication process for non-silicon materials, including polymers, ceramics, and glasses that will enable reliable microscale fabrication of Zn-air batteries using appropriate materials. In this way, miniaturization of the highest performance system will be realized. The commercial potential of this project will be batteries that have increased life and will be smaller. This will help the electronics industry in reducing the size of many electronic and microelectronic devices.