Holographic 3D printing technique creates microbatteries
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028887
Ars Technica : The continued miniaturization of electronic devices has recently been hindered by the difficulty in miniaturizing energy storage. The size of such batteries severely limits their storage capacity. Now Paul Braun of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and his collaborators have combined 3D holographic lithography with traditional photolithography to create a 2-mm-square, 10-µm-thick lithium-ion battery. The holographic lithography was used to create a regularly patterned 3D lattice. Photolithography was then used to apply 2D electrodes to the internal structure. The resulting battery has lithium manganese dioxide cathodes, nickel–tin anodes, and an energy density of 6.5 μWh cm−2 μm−1.