Thin-Film Batteries for Direct Integration into Electronic Devices

Steve Lee

Friday, July 18, 2008

In an attempt to revolutionize the way gadgets are powered, Cymbet Corporation has developed thin-film battery technology which offers a competitive edge over conventional batteries in form factor, charge retention, and the thousands of times the device may be recharged.

The major advantages derived from thin-film batteries are their ability to be integrated directly into electronics - saving space and weight, while improving functionality.

Although the technology has been researched in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories for over two decades, commercialization was made possible only after Cymbet introduced a new form factor called EnerChip.

The new EnerChip family of thin-film battery devices offers a truly unique combination in battery technology: fast charge times, 5000 recharges, reflow solderable and eco-friendliness. It also allowed for higher volume production of batteries withstanding amazing reflow temperatures. These EnerChips are designed to last the life of the product.

According to Cymbet, the technology will enable new concepts for thin-film battery applications and products in medical, wireless sensing, radio frequency identification (RFID) and other mobile electronic devices.

"EnerChip allows straightforward adoption of the thin-film technology by the electronics industry, giving designers power management flexibility, and a range of new capabilities," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Elaine Chan.. "As such, it is important to note that developments at Cymbet may help pave the way for much wider use of thin-film batteries in future electronics."

Cymbet's EnerChip product line is well suited for applications where back-up power is needed to maintain the settings of microcontroller memories, real-time clocks and SRAM during power loss or power failures.

Batteries in the EnerChip product family provide back-up power to electronic systems during power failure (from one day to many weeks), and can be used as primary power for certain applications. Because the batteries are offered in SMT packages or are embedded at the chip level, they can be directly integrated into end-use electronics using standard automated assembly processes and reflow soldering. This reduces the cost of board and chip-level assembly, as well as the total cost of ownership versus other solutions.

Another key Cymbet innovation enables the EnerChip to be recharged through energy harvesting techniques using a source of energy such as light, heat, motion or electromagnetic radiation. Cymbet is also looking into high-volume manufacturing and innovative next-generation battery technologies. Towards this end, the company has collaborations with major international corporations in the semiconductor industry and other industries, as well as universities around the world.

Currently, EnerChips are available in power capacities of 12 and 50uAhr, and 85uAhr will be available later this year.

[Fox Business]

Thin-Film Batteries for Direct Integration into Electronic Devices

Thin-Film Batteries for Direct Integration into Electronic Devices

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