Tufts University

Terry E Haas

Ronald B Goldner

Kwok-Keung Wong

Floyd O Arntz

Mark A Goldner

Alexandra Gerouki

George Seward

Te-Yang Liu

Bertrand Morel

Guang Wei

Eugene Sullivan

Linas Jauniskis

A rechargeable, stackable, thin film, solid-state lithium electrochemical cell, thin film lithium battery and method for making the same is disclosed. The cell and battery provide for a variety configurations, voltage and current capacities. An innovative low temperature ion beam assisted deposition method for fabricating thin film, solid-state anodes, cathodes and electrolytes is disclosed wherein a source of energetic ions and evaporants combine to form thin film cell components having preferred crystallinity, structure and orientation. The disclosed batteries are particularly useful as power sources for portable electronic devices and electric vehicle applications where high energy density, high reversible charge capacity, high discharge current and long battery lifetimes are required.

Rechargeable thin film battery and method for making the same

A multi-layered, active, thin film, solid-state electrochromic device having a high reflectivity in the near infrared in a colored state, a high reflectivity and transmissivity modulation when switching between colored and bleached states, a low absorptivity in the near infrared, and fast switching times, and methods for its manufacture and switching are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-layered device comprising a first indium tin oxide transparent electronic conductor, a transparent ion blocking layer, a tungsten oxide electrochromic anode, a lithium ion conducting-electrically resistive electrolyte, a complimentary lithium mixed metal oxide electrochromic cathode, a transparent ohmic contact layer, a second indium oxide transparent electronic conductor, and a silicon nitride encapsulant is provided. Through elimination of optional intermediate layers, simplified device designs are provided as alternative embodiments. Typical colored-state reflectivity of the multi-layered device is greater than 50% in the near infrared, bleached-state reflectivity is less than 40% in the visible, bleached-state transmissivity is greater than 60% in the near infrared and greater than 40% in the visible, and spectral absorbance is less than 50% in the range from 0.65-2.5 .mu.m.

Electrochromic window with high reflectivity modulation

Thin film coatings for solid state storage batteries and electrochromic energy conservation devices are now formed on low temperature glass and plastic substrates by an ion-assisted RF deposition process. The attachment of such coated glass or plastic substrates to existing windows in situ allows ordinary plate glass windows in homes, office buildings and factories to be converted to 'smart-windows' resulting in a substantial savings in heating and air conditioning costs.

Ion-beam based deposition of coatings for electrochromic devices

A multilayer, thin film solid state ionic device usable as an electrochromic window and/or as a rechargeable battery and a method for its manufacture. In one embodiment, the device comprises a transparent substrate and a thin film, five layered coating, the coating being deposited onto the substrate. The device is made by depositing a first layer of indium tin oxide onto the substrate, depositing a second layer of tungsten trioxide onto the first layer, inserting a quantity of lithium ions into the second layer so as to form a lithium-enriched second layer, depositing a third layer of lithium niobate onto the lithium-enriched second layer, sputter depositing a fourth layer of LiCoO.sub.2 onto the third layer, whereby the fourth layer is lithium-deficient, applying, in the presence of a plasma, a sufficiently large positive electrical potential to the second layer so as to cause virtually all of the lithium ions inserted thereinto to be expelled therefrom, whereby a quantity of lithium ions are added to the fourth layer to ameliorate its lithium deficiency and whereby any lithium ions expelled from the second layer but not needed to cure the deficiency of lithium ions in the fourth layer are expelled into the plasma, and then depositing a fifth layer made of indium oxide onto said fourth layer.

Methods for manufacturing solid state ionic devices

Ion blocking layers are interposed between the outer electrodes and the active layers in a five-layer electrochromic device. The ion-blocking layers are optically transparent and electronically conductive to provide for electron transport while blocking the transport of ions between the active layers and the outer electrode layers.

Transparent ion-blocking layer for electrochromic windows

Durable thin film ion conducting coatings are formed on a transparent glass substrate by the controlled deposition of the mixed oxides of lithium:tantalum or lithium:niobium. The coatings provide durable ion transport sources for thin film solid state storage batteries and electrochromic energy conservation devices.

Growing community of inventors

Sudbury, MA, United States of America

Terry E Haas