Miniature electrical energy power source housed in a casing formed from an intermediate ceramic ring micro-bonded to upper and lower plate-shaped ceramic wafers

1 . An electrical energy power source, comprising:

a) casing, comprising:

i) a first plate-shaped ceramic wafer comprising a first ceramic having a first annular peripheral edge extending to a first plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper major face spaced from a first plate-shaped ceramic wafer lower major face;

ii) a second plate-shaped ceramic wafer comprising a second ceramic having a second annular peripheral edge extending to a second plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper major face spaced from a second plate-shaped ceramic water lower major face;

iii) a third ceramic ring comprising a third ceramic having a third annular peripheral edge extending to a third ceramic ring upper surface spaced from a third ceramic ring lower surface,

iv) wherein the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer lower major face is directly micro-bonded to the third ceramic ring upper surface through interdiffusion of first and third atoms comprising the respective first and third ceramics, and wherein the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper major face is directly micro-bonded to the third ceramic ring lower surface of the third ceramic ring through interdiffusion of second and third atoms comprising the respective second and third ceramics;

b) a first conductive pathway extending through the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer to the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper and lower major faces, wherein a first current collector contacted to the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer lower major face is in electrical continuity with the first conductive pathway;

c) a second conductive pathway extending through the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer to the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper and lower major faces, wherein a second current collector contacted to the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper major face is in electrical continuity with the second conductive pathway;

d) an electrode assembly housed inside the casing, the electrode assembly comprising:

i) a first active material supported on the first current collector opposite the first conductive pathway;

ii) a second, opposite polarity active material supported on the second current collector opposite the second conductive pathway; and

iii) a separator segregating the first active material from direct physical contact with the second active material; and

e) an activating electrolyte filled into the casing to contact the electrode assembly,

f) wherein the first conductive pathway serves as a first terminal, and the second conductive pathway serves as a second terminal for the power source.

2 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material of the first and second plate-shaped ceramic wafers and of the third ceramic ring is selected from fused silica and crystalline sapphire.

3 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first and second plate-shaped ceramic wafers is greater than zero up to 100 μm.

4 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive pathways reside in respective first and second vias extending through the first and second plate-shaped ceramic wafers, the first and second vias individually having a diameter that ranges from 40 μm to 500 μm.

5 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the first and second current collectors have thicknesses that range from 0.1 μm to 100 μm.

6 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive pathways are selected from titanium, gold, copper, platinum, platinum alloys and platinum/ceramic mixtures.

7 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the first and second active materials individually have a thickness that ranges from 25 μm to 5,000 μm.

8 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein an electrolyte fill port extends through the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer to the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper and lower major faces thereof, and wherein the fill port is spaced laterally from an annular edge of the first current collector.

9 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein a biocompatible pad is contacted to at least one of the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer upper major face and the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer lower major face to cover the respective first and second conductive pathway.

10 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , wherein the micro-bond between the first plate-shaped ceramic wafer and the third ceramic ring and between the third ceramic ring and the second plate-shaped ceramic wafer individually have a thickness that ranges from 60 μm to 120 μm.

11 . The electrical energy power source of claim 1 , selected from an alkaline cell, a primary lithium cell, a rechargeable lithium-ion cell, a Ni/cadmium cell, a Ni/metal hydride cell, a supercapacitor, and a thin film solid-state cell.

12 . An electrical energy power source, comprising:

a) a first fused silica plate-shaped wafer comprising a first fused silica having a first annular peripheral edge extending to a first fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper major face spaced from a first fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face, wherein:

i) A first conductive pathway extends through the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer to the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper and lower major faces;

ii) a cathode current collector contacted to the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face is in electrical continuity with the first conductive pathway;

iii) a cathode active material is contacted to the cathode current collector opposite the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face so that the first conductive pathway serves as a cathode terminal; and

iv) an electrolyte fill port extends through the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer to the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper and lower major faces thereof;

b) a second fused silica plate-shaped wafer comprising a second fused silica having a second annular peripheral edge extending to a second fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper major face spaced from a second fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face, wherein:

i) a second conductive pathway extends through the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer to the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper and lower major faces;

ii) an anode current collector contacted to the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper major face is in electrical continuity with the second conductive pathway; and

iii) an anode active material is contacted to the anode current collector opposite the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper major face so that the second conductive pathway serves as an anode terminal; and

c) a third fused silica ring comprising a third fused silica having a third annular peripheral edge extending to a third fused silica ring upper surface spaced from a third fused silica ring lower surface,

d) wherein the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face is directly micro-bonded to the third fused silica ring upper surface through interdiffusion of first and third atoms comprising the respective first and third fused silicas, and the second fused silica plate-shaped water upper major face is directly micro-bonded to the third fused silica ring lower surface through interdiffusion of second and third atoms comprising the respective second and third fused silicas to thereby provide a casing for the power source;

e) a separator segregating the anode active material from direct physical contact with the cathode active material; and

f) an activating electrolyte filled into the casing to contact the anode and cathode active materials.

13 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the first and second fused silica plate-shaped wafers is greater than zero up to 100 μm.

14 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the anode and cathode current collectors have thicknesses that range from 0.1 μm to 100 μm.

15 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the first and second conductive pathways reside in respective first and second vias extending through the first and second fused silica plate-shaped wafers, the first and second vias individually having a diameter that ranges from 40 μm to 500 μm.

16 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the first and second conductive pathways are selected from titanium, gold, copper, platinum, platinum alloys and platinum/ceramic mixtures.

17 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the cathode active material has a thickness that ranges from 25 μm to 5,000 μm, and wherein the anode active material has a thickness that ranges from 25 μm to 4,000 μm.

18 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the fill port is spaced laterally from an annular edge of the cathode current collector.

19 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein a biocompatible pad is contacted to at least one of the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer upper major face and the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer lower major face to cover the respective first and second conductive pathway.

20 . The electrical energy power source of claim 12 , wherein the micro-bond between the first fused silica plate-shaped wafer and the third fused silica ring and between the third fused silica ring and the second fused silica plate-shaped wafer individually have a thickness that ranges from 60 μm to 120 μm.

21 . A method for providing an electrical energy power source, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first ceramic host sheet comprising a first ceramic, a second ceramic host sheet comprising a second ceramic, and a third, intermediate ceramic host sheet comprising a third ceramic;

b) forming a plurality of first and second conductive pathways through the respective first and second ceramic host sheets;

c) cutting a plurality of openings in the third, intermediate ceramic host sheet;

d) contacting a plurality of first current collectors to an inner surface of the first ceramic host sheet, the first current collectors being aligned and in contact with a respective one of the first conductive pathways;

e) contacting a plurality of second current collectors to an inner surface of the second ceramic host sheet, the second current collectors being aligned and in contact with a respective one of the second conductive pathways;

f) micro-bonding the first ceramic host sheet to a lower surface of the intermediate ceramic host sheet through interdiffusion of first and third ceramic atoms comprising the respective first and third ceramics so that the plurality of first conductive pathways are aligned with a corresponding one of the openings in the intermediate ceramic host sheet;

g) supporting a plurality of first polarity active material layers on a respective one of the plurality of first current collectors opposite the corresponding plurality of first conductive pathways extending through the first ceramic host sheet;

h) positioning a plurality of separators on a corresponding one of the plurality of first polarity active material layers;

i) supporting a plurality of second, opposite polarity active material layers on a respective one of the plurality of second current collectors opposite the corresponding plurality of second conductive pathways extending through the second ceramic host sheet;

j) micro-bonding the second ceramic host sheet to an upper surface of the intermediate ceramic host sheet through interdiffusion of second and third ceramic atoms comprising the respective second and third ceramics to thereby provide a plurality of casings, each casing housing an electrode assembly comprising one of the plurality of first active material layers aligned with a respective one of the second active material layers opposite an intermediate separator;

k) providing a plurality of electrolyte fill ports in one of the first and second ceramic host sheets, the fill ports corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of casings;

l) filling an activating electrolyte into each of the plurality of casings and then closing the fill ports; and

m) singulating a plurality of electrical energy power sources from the first ceramic host sheet micro-bonded to the third, intermediate ceramic host sheet in turn micro-bonded to the second ceramic host sheet, each power source comprising a casing housing an electrode assembly activated with the electrolyte, wherein the first and second conductive pathways provide opposite polarity first and second terminals for each power source.