Guest_Jim_* Posted May 12, 2015 Posted May 12, 2015 Batteries are necessary for a great many systems, including micro-devices, but because of the large sizes of the energy storage devices, they must be kept off of the chips used. This could change thanks to the work of researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign though, as they have developed a powerful microbattery that can be easily integrated onto chips. The manufacturing processes involved can even allow for large-scale production. To create the new battery, the researchers use 3D holographic lithography and 2D photolithography. Holographic lithography utilizes multiple light beams that interfere within a photoresist, creating the desired, interior structure. Recent work has made this process simpler to the point of making it highly scalable. The 2D photolithography is used to create the shape of the electrodes that connect to the battery, which the researchers found is particularly important. Structural parameters including size, shape, surface area, porosity, and tortuosity all impact the microbattery's performance. As the methods used to create the microbattery are compatible with those used to create chips, the expectation is that they can be integrated directly onto chips. The fact that the miniature battery is also high-power, comparable to supercapacitors in that regard, make it very desirable for various applications from wireless sensors and transmitters and medical devices, to monitors and actuators. Source: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Back to original news post Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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