Systems, methods, and apparatus for encapsulating objects like that of microelectronic components and batteries. The system includes three successive layers that include a first covering layer composed of an electrically insulating material deposited by atomic layer deposition, which at least partly covers the object, a second covering layer that includes parylene and/or polyimide, and which is disposed on the first covering layer, and a third covering layer deposited on the second covering layer in such a way as to protect the second encapsulation layer, namely, with respect to oxygen, and thereby increase the service life of the object.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for encapsulating objects like that of microelectronic components and batteries. The system includes three successive layers that include a first covering layer composed of an electrically insulating material deposited by atomic layer deposition, which at least partly covers the object, a second covering layer that includes parylene and/or polyimide, and which is disposed on the first covering layer, and a third covering layer deposited on the second covering layer in such a way as to protect the second encapsulation layer, namely, with respect to oxygen, and thereby increase the service life of the object.

An anode for a secondary battery including an anode active material and a secondary battery including the anode and having improved stability and reduced resistance are disclosed. In an aspect, the anode active material includes a silicon-based active material having a specific surface area (BET) in a range from 0.5 m.sup.2/g to 5 m.sup.2/g, a first carbon-based active material having an average particle diameter (D50) in a range from 1 μm to 4 μm, and a second carbon-based active material having an average particle diameter greater than that of the first carbon-based active material.

An anode for a secondary battery including an anode active material and a secondary battery including the anode and having improved stability and reduced resistance are disclosed. In an aspect, the anode active material includes a silicon-based active material having a specific surface area (BET) in a range from 0.5 m.sup.2/g to 5 m.sup.2/g, a first carbon-based active material having an average particle diameter (D50) in a range from 1 μm to 4 μm, and a second carbon-based active material having an average particle diameter greater than that of the first carbon-based active material.

Setter plates are fabricated from Li-stuffed garnet materials having the same, or substantially similar, compositions as a garnet Li-stuffed solid electrolyte. The Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, reduce the evaporation of Li during a sintering treatment step and/or reduce the loss of Li caused by diffusion out of the sintering electrolyte. Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, maintain compositional control over the solid electrolyte during sintering when, upon heating, lithium is prone to diffuse out of the solid electrolyte.

Setter plates are fabricated from Li-stuffed garnet materials having the same, or substantially similar, compositions as a garnet Li-stuffed solid electrolyte. The Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, reduce the evaporation of Li during a sintering treatment step and/or reduce the loss of Li caused by diffusion out of the sintering electrolyte. Li-stuffed garnet setter plates, set forth herein, maintain compositional control over the solid electrolyte during sintering when, upon heating, lithium is prone to diffuse out of the solid electrolyte.

In a secondary battery including a large-sized electrode group including stacked positive and negative electrode plates, an electrode plate in which failures such as the separation and cracking of an active material layer and the abrasion and cracking of a current collector are unlikely to occur is provided. An electrode plate 21 includes a coated region CR where active material layers 21a are formed and an uncoated region NC where no active material layer is formed and has a configuration in which a boundary section between the coated region and the uncoated region is provided with a first buffer region C2 having a non-linear irregular shape in plan view.

[Solving Means] A battery includes: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and an electrolyte. The electrolyte contains an electrolyte solution, and a polymer compound holding the electrolyte solution. The polymer compound includes a copolymer having at least predetermined two kinds of repeating units.

Embodiments of the present invention are in the field of materials, apparatus, process, methods, and designs for manufacture of a thin film energy storage devices with a capacity greater then 1 mA-hr-cm.sup.−2 including thin film Lithium metal and Li+ ion batteries and capacitors having high energy density and high cycle life due to the incorporation of at least one vacuum thin film with respect to protection and electrical conductivity of the electrodes, and at least one vacuum thin film electrolyte for electrical insulation of the electrodes and ion conduction after assembly for low self discharge and high cycle life battery cells.

Disclosed is a power storage element including a positive electrode current collector layer and a negative electrode current collector layer which are arranged on the same plane and can be formed through a simple process. The power storage element further includes a positive electrode active material layer on the positive electrode current collector layer; a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode current collector layer; and a solid electrolyte layer in contact with at least the positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer and the negative electrode active material layer are formed by oxidation treatment.