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Thin-Film Lithium-Ion Battery for Harsh Environments

May 18, 2006

Oak Ridge Micro-Energy develops battery that can operate and be recharged at high temperatures with only minor decrease in performance.


OAK RIDGE, Tenn. /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, a developer and producer of thin-film rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries is pleased to report the development of a new rechargeable thin-film lithium-ion battery that can operate at high temperatures.

Based on a new anode-cathode combination (the active battery components), the company's prototype lithium-ion batteries were cycled at a record high temperature of 170°C (338° F). Conventional rechargeable lithium-ion batteries cannot be cycled at temperatures much above 60°C.

Currently, most batteries operate best at room temperature. Operating batteries at high temperatures dramatically decreases the performance and the life of the battery. The Oak Ridge thin-film battery cannot only operate at high temperatures, but it can be recharged and has only a minor decrease in performance over time at high temperatures.

According to Mark Meriwether, president and CEO, "We have made good progress in achieving our goal to develop a battery that can be cycled at temperatures of 150°C or above." "This battery could open up many new markets for our thin-film batteries in diverse areas, such as downhole and other sensors that operate in harsh environments, backup of high-temperature nonvolatile memory, and semiconductor diagnostic wafers."

About Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc.
Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc., develops and produces custom-designed thin-film lithium and lithium-ion batteries that are ideally suited for a variety of applications where a small power source is needed. These batteries can be fabricated on a variety of substrates as well as onto chips, chip carriers, or multi-chip module packages. By using the available space on a ceramic package or a silicon die, the battery can provide the required power while occupying otherwise wasted space and adding negligible mass. The company's batteries are intended for applications such as wireless sensors that operate in harsh environments, semiconductor diagnostic wafers, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, semiconductor nonvolatile memory chips, and advanced medical devices. Initial production will target specialized high-margin markets. Expansion of the company's manufacturing capacity, internally and through strategic partnerships, will allow Oak Ridge Micro-Energy to reduce manufacturing costs and penetrate larger markets.

The company maintains R&D and manufacturing facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and additional offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. Detailed information about Oak Ridge Micro-Energy, Inc., can be obtained by visiting the company's Web site.






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