What is claimed is:
1. A method of making a thin-film device, the method comprising:
providing a substrate having a major surface area, the substrate having a first layer on a first surface area of the substrate’s major surface area;
depositing a second layer onto the first layer, wherein the first and second layers form part of a battery; and
depositing one or more other layers on the battery to form a photovoltaic cell.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing of the second layer further includes supplying an amount of ion-assist energy to the second layer to aid in crystalline layer formation while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline layer without substantially heating the substrate, and wherein the battery is a thin-film lithium battery.
3. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:
attaching an integrated circuit to the substrate; and
operatively coupling the integrated circuit to charge the battery using current from the photovoltaic cell.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the layers are deposited on the substrate while the substrate moves in a continuous motion.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a flexible material supplied from a roll, and at least some of the layers are deposited on the substrate while the substrate moves in a continuous motion.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein either the first or the second layer forms a cathode layer of the battery, wherein the battery includes the cathode layer, an anode layer, and an electrolyte layer located between and electrically isolating the anode layer from the cathode layer, wherein the anode or the cathode or both include an intercalation material.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising depositing an electrical circuit on the battery.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a rigid material supplied from a cassette, and at least some of the layers are deposited on the substrate while the substrate moves in a continuous motion.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a polymer material having a melting point below about 700 degrees Celsius.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing of the second layer includes supplying ion-assist energy to the second layer using ions of at least 5 eV.
11. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 50 eV.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 30 eV.
13. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 20 eV.
14. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 10 eV to about 50 eV.
15. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 10 eV to about 20 eV.
16. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 20 eV to about 50 eV.
17. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 20 eV to about 30 eV.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy of about 20 eV.
19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing of the second layer further includes supplying an amount of ion-assist energy to the second layer to aid in crystalline formation of a layer that includes lithium while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline second layer.
20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing of the second layer further includes supplying an amount of ion-assist energy to the second layer to aid in crystalline layer formation while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline second layer without substantially heating the substrate, and wherein the battery formed is a thin-film battery.
21. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second layer is a LiCoO2 intercalation material, and the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ionized oxygen that combines with LiCo to form the LiCoO2 intercalation material.
22. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providing of the substrate comprises:
supplying a substrate base; and
depositing the first layer onto the substrate base to form the substrate, wherein depositing of the first layer includes supplying ion-assist energy to the first layer to aid in crystalline layer formation while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline first layer without substantially heating the substrate base.
23. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providing of the substrate includes supplying a flexible material supplied from a roll, and the depositing of the second layer on the substrate is performed while the substrate moves in a continuous motion, wherein the second layer forms an electrolyte layer of a battery, wherein the battery includes a cathode layer, an anode layer, and the electrolyte layer located between and electrically isolating the anode layer from the cathode layer, wherein the anode or the cathode or both include an intercalation material.
24. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a high-intensity photo source.
25. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a high-temperature, short-duration heat source.
26. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a short-duration plasma source.
27. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energized particles from a second source simultaneously with supplying electrolyte material from a first source.
28. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying laser energy to the surface.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing of the second layer includes depositing adatoms to form the second layer as a film.
30. A method of making a thin-film device, the method comprising:
supplying a substrate having a major surface area; and
depositing a plurality of layers onto the substrate including supplying energy while depositing a first layer to aid in crystalline layer formation while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline first layer without substantially heating the substrate; and
supplying energy to a second layer having a different composition to aid in crystalline layer formation while controlling a stoichiometry of the crystalline second layer without substantially heating the substrate.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first layer and the second layer form at least part of a battery, and wherein the method further includes depositing one or more other layers on the battery in order to form a photovoltaic cell.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a high-intensity photo source.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a high-temperature, short-duration heat source.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energy from a short-duration plasma source.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying energized particles from a second source simultaneously with supplying electrolyte material from a first source.
36. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying laser energy to the surface.
37. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of energy to the first layer includes supplying ion-assist energy with ions of a first energy, and the supplying of energy to the second layer includes supplying ion-assist energy with ions of a second energy different than the first energy.
38. The method of claim 30, wherein supplying of the substrate includes supplying a continuous set of wafers.
39. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second layers form parts of a thin-film battery.
40. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second layers form parts of a capacitor.
41. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second layers, respectively, form parts of a thin-film battery and a device powered by the thin-film battery, respectively.
42. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second layers, respectively, form parts of a thin-film battery and a device powered by the thin-film battery, respectively, wherein the device is deposited onto the thin-film battery.
43. The method of claim 30, further comprising depositing a set of traces for electrically connecting a device to the thin-film battery.
44. The method of claim 43, further comprising placing one or more components onto the traces.
45. The method of claim 30, further comprising depositing an energy-conversion device on the thin-film device.
46. The method of claim 30, wherein the substrate is a polymer material having a melting point below about 700 degrees Celsius.
47. The method of claim 30, wherein the energizing of the second layer includes supplying ions of at least 5 eV.
48. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 50 eV.
49. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 20 eV.
50. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 10 eV to about 20 eV.
51. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 20 eV to about 30 eV.
52. The method of claim 30, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy of about 20 eV.
53. The method of claim 48, wherein the substrate is a polymer material having a melting point below about 700 degrees Celsius, and wherein the energizing of the second layer includes supplying ions of at least 5 eV.
54. A method of making a thin-film device, the method comprising:
providing a substrate base;
depositing a first layer onto the substrate base, wherein the depositing of the first layer further includes supplying an amount of ion-assist energy to the first layer to aid in crystalline layer formation without substantially heating the substrate;
depositing a second layer onto the first layer, wherein the first and second layers form part of a battery, wherein the depositing of the second layer further includes supplying an amount of ion-assist energy to the second-layer to aid in crystalline layer formation without substantially heating the substrate, and wherein the battery is a thin-film lithium battery; and
depositing one or more other layers on the battery to form a photovoltaic cell, attaching an integrated circuit to the substrate; and
operatively coupling the integrated circuit to charge the battery using current from the photovoltaic cell.
55. The method of claim 54, wherein the supplying of ion-assist energy includes supplying ions having an energy in the range of about 5 eV to about 50 eV.
56. The method of claim 54, wherein the substrate is a flexible material supplied from a roll, and at least some of the layers are deposited on the substrate while the substrate moves in a continuous motion.
57. The method of claim 54, wherein the substrate includes a polymer material having a melting point below about 700 degrees Celsius.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for producing a 2,2,4,4-tetraalkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol of Formula II, comprising contacting a 2,2,4,4-tetraalkylcyclobutane-1,3-dione with hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt-based catalyst under conditions of temperature and pressure sufficient to form a 2,2,4,4-tetraalkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol,
wherein each of the alkyl radicals R1, R2, R3 and R4 has, independently from each other, 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and
wherein the cistrans molar ratio of the 2,2,4,4-tetraalkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is from 0.4 to 0.8; wherein the cobalt-based catalyst consists essentially of cobalt as the catalytic metal; wherein the catalyst comprises a support of silica or alumina; and wherein the selectivity is greater than about 65%.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein each of the alkyl radical radicals R1, R2, R3, and R4 has, independently from each other, 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
3. The process according to claim 1, wherein each alkyl radical R1, R2, R3, and R4 is a methyl group.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein a non-protic solvent comprising an unsaturated hydrocarbon, a non-cyclic ester, an ether, or a mixture thereof is present.
5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the non-cyclic ester is chosen from isopropyl isobutyrate, isobutyl propionate, octyl acetate, isobutyl isobutyrate, isobutyl acetate, and mixtures thereof.
6. The process according to claim 1, further comprising a protic solvent comprising one or more solvents chosen from a monohydric alcohol, a dihydric alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the protic solvent comprises methanol or ethylene glycol.
8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the cobalt-based catalyst comprises a support, and wherein the support comprises one or more of silica, alumina, or silicaalumina.
9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the support comprises a form chosen from powder, extrudate, spheres, and pellets.
10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure is from 100 psi to 6000 psi.
11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure is from 300 psi to 2000 psi.
12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is from 75\xb0 C. to 250\xb0 C.
13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature is from 100\xb0 C. to 180\xb0 C.
14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is a continuous, semi-batch, or batch process.
15. A process for producing 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol, comprising contacting 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione, a cobalt-based catalyst, a non-protic solvent, and hydrogen in a hydrogenation zone under conditions of temperature and pressure sufficient to form 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol; wherein the cistrans molar ratio of the 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is from 0.4 to 0.8; wherein the cobalt-based catalyst consists essentially of cobalt as the catalytic metal; wherein the catalyst comprises a support of silica or alumina; and wherein the selectivity is greater than about 65%.
16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione and hydrogen are continuously fed into the hydrogenation zone.
17. The process according to claim 15, wherein the hydrogenation zone has a temperature from 75\xb0 C. to 250\xb0 C.
18. The process according to claim 15, wherein the pressure is from 100 psi to 6000 psi.
19. The process according to claim 15, further comprising continuously recovering the effluent from the hydrogenation zone and recovering at least a portion of the 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol from the effluent to form a depleted 2,2,4,4-1,3-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol stream.
20. The process according to claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the depleted 2,2,4,4-1,3-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol stream is recycled to the hydrogenation zone.
21. The process according to claim 15, wherein the hydrogenation zone comprises a tubular reactor, a fixed bed reactor, a trickle bed reactor, a stirred tank reactor, a continuous stirred tank reactor, or a slurry reactor.
22. A process for producing 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol comprising:
(a) feeding isobutyric anhydride to a pyrolysis zone, wherein the isobutyric anhydride is heated at a temperature of 350\xb0 C. to 600\xb0 C. to produce a vapor effluent comprising dimethylketene, isobutyric acid, and unreacted isobutyric anhydride;
(b) cooling the vapor effluent to condense isobutyric acid and isobutyric anhydride and separating the condensate from the dimethylketene vapor;
(c) feeding the dimethylketene vapor to an absorption zone, wherein the dimethylketene vapor is contacted with a solvent comprising an ester containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms to produce an absorption zone effluent comprising a solution of dimethylketene in the solvent; wherein the ester comprises residues of an aliphatic carboxylic acid and an alkanol;
(d) feeding the absorption zone effluent to a dimerization zone wherein the absorption zone effluent is heated at a temperature of from 70\xb0 C. to 140\xb0 C. to convert dimethylketene to 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione to produce an effluent comprising a solution of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione in the solvent; and
(e) contacting the 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione with hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt-based catalyst under conditions of temperature and pressure sufficient to form a 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol;
wherein the cistrans molar ratio of the 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is from 0.4 to 0.8; wherein the cobalt-based catalyst consists essentially of cobalt as the catalytic metal; wherein the catalyst comprises a support of silica or alumina; and wherein the selectivity is greater than about 65%.