Microbatteries with twin-Swiss-rolls redefine performance limits in the sub-square millimeter range

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Microelectronic devices require miniaturized power sources for advanced functionalities.
• Current microbattery technologies face limitations in on-chip integration and energy density.
• The need for compact, high-performance microbatteries is critical for microautonomous systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an on-chip microelectrode architecture compatible with microelectronic fabrication.
• To enhance the energy density and power capabilities of microbatteries for micro-scale applications.
• To enable the integration of microbatteries into multi-functional microautonomous systems.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a self-assembling, on-chip Swiss-roll microelectrode architecture.
• Fabrication of twin-Swiss-roll microelectrodes with a footprint of 0.045 mm².
• Characterization of the energy density and performance of the packaged microbattery cells.

Main Results:

• The twin-Swiss-roll microelectrode achieved an energy density of 458 μW h cm⁻².
• The fully packaged microbattery cell occupied 0.11 mm² with an energy density of 181 μW h cm⁻².
• A volumetric energy density of 16.3 mW h cm⁻³ was recorded, excluding chip thickness.

Conclusions:

• The Swiss-roll microelectrode architecture offers a viable solution for on-chip microbattery integration.
• This technology significantly advances the potential for powering smart dust and microautonomous systems.
• The developed microbatteries meet the stringent size and energy demands of next-generation microelectronics.