Microbattery technologies for miniaturized implantable medical devices

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Miniaturization of implanted medical devices (IMDs) like neuro-stimulators and cochlear implants is advancing.
• Active IMDs require integrated power sources, ideally batteries matching device size.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the state-of-the-art in battery miniaturization for active IMDs.
• To evaluate novel thin-film microbattery technologies.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on microbattery technologies.
• Focus on two- and three-dimensional thin-film lithium (Li) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) microbatteries.

Main Results:

• Current battery technology faces challenges in meeting the size requirements for miniaturized IMDs.
• Three-dimensional (3D) thin-film microbatteries show potential for high energy density in small form factors.

Conclusions:

• 3D thin-film microbatteries represent a viable power solution for the next generation of miniaturized active IMDs.
• Further development in 3D microbattery fabrication is crucial for clinical translation.