3-D integrated all-solid-state rechargeable batteries

Portable society urgently calls for integrated energy supplies. This holds for autonomous devices but even more so for future medical implants. Evidently, rechargeable integrated all-solid-state batteries will play a key role in these fields, enabling miniaturization, preventing electrode degradation upon cycling and electrolyte leakage. Planar solid-state thin film batteries are rapidly emerging but reveal several potential drawbacks, such as a relatively low energy density and the use of highly reactive lithium. Thin film Si-intercalation electrodes covered with a solid-state electrolyte are found to combine a high storage capacity of 3500 mAh g(-1) with high cycle life, enabling to integrate batteries in Si. Based on the excellent intercalation chemistry of Si, a new 3D-integrated all-solid-state battery concept is proposed. High aspect ratio cavities and features, etched in silicon, will yield large surface area batteries with anticipated energy density of about 5 mWh mu m(-1) cm(-2), i.e. more than 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of integrated capacitors.