Multilayered electrode and film energy storage device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a multilayered electrode comprising an electro-conductive layer and at least one protective layer located on one side of the electro-conductive layer and selected from the list comprising a field-planarization layer, a tunneling injection blocking layer and a coulomb blocking layer.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to passive components of electrical circuit and more particularly to a multilayered electrode and a film energy storage device using thereof.

BACKGROUND

Electrodes (contacts) problems and methods of production of electrodes for electronic devices are widely discussed in scientific and technical literature.

The development of nanoscale MOSFETs has given rise to increased attention paid to the role of parasitic source/drain and contact resistance as a performance-limiting factor (see, Reinaldo Vega and, Tsu-Jae King Liu, “Advanced Source/Drain and Contact Design for Nanoscale CMOS”, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences University of California at Berkeley, Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2010-84 http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2010/EECS-2010-84.html, May 20, 2010). Dopant-segregated Schottky (DSS) source/drain MOSFETs have become popular in recent years to address this series resistance issue, since DSS source/drain regions comprise primarily of metal or metal silicide. The small source/drain extension (SDE) regions extending from the metallic contact regions are an important design parameter in DSS MOSFETs, since their size and concentration affect contact resistance, series resistance, band-to-band tunneling (BTBT), SDE tunneling, and direct source-to-drain tunneling (DSDT) leakage. Reinaldo Vega and, Tsu-Jae King Liu's work investigates key design issues surrounding DSS MOSFETs from both a modeling and experimental perspective, including the effect of SDE design on ambipolar leakage, the effect of random dopant fluctuation (RDF) on specific contact resistivity, 3D FinFET source/drain and contact design optimization, and experimental methods to achieve tuning of the SDE region.

C. Liu, V. Kamaev, and Z. V. Vardeny in “Efficiency enhancement of an organic light-emitting diode with a cathode forming two-dimensional periodic hole array”, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, Vol. 86, p. 143501, (2005) describe fabrication of an organic light-emitting diode using a 7E -conjugated polymer emissive layer sandwiched between two semitransparent electrodes: an optically thin gold film anode, whereas the cathode was in the form of an optically thick aluminum (Al) film with patterned periodic subwavelength two-dimensional hole array that showed anomalous transmission in the spectral range of the polymer photoluminescence band. At similar current densities, we obtained a sevenfold electroluminescence efficiency enhancement with the patterned Al device compared with a control device based on un-perforated Al electrode.

In the article “Deposition of an Al Cathode for an OLED by Using Low-Damage Sputtering Method” (Sang-Mo Kim, Kyung-Hwan Kim, and Min-Jong Keum, Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 1023-1026, September 2007), Al thin films for OLED devices were deposited on glass substrates and on a cell (LiF/EML/HTL/bottom electrode, ITO thin film) for various working gas such as Ar, Kr and mixed gases, and various working gas pressures. The film thickness and the crystallographic and electrical properties of the Al thin film were measured by an a-step profiler (TENCOR), an X-ray diffracto-meter (XRD, RIGAKU), a four-point probe (CHANGMIN) and an atomic force microscope (AFM), and the I-V curve of the Al/cell was measured by using a semiconductor parameter measurement (HP4156A). The crystallinity and resistivity of Al thin films prepared on glass indicated that the films were amorphous with resistivities under 10⁻⁵ Ω-cm. In the case of the Al thin films deposited on cell using pure Ar or Kr, the leakage-current density of the Al/cell was about 10⁻⁴ mA/cm², and the leakage-current density of the Al/cell prepared by using Ar and Kr mixed gas was about 10 ⁻⁶ mA/cm².

The performance of organic light emitting device (OLED) structures, based on identically fabricated Alq 3/TPD active regions, with various anode and cathode electrode structures were compared by H. Mu et al. in “A comparative study of electrode effects on the electrical and luminescent characteristics of Alq 3/TPD OLED: Improvements due to conductive polymer (PEDOT) anode” (Journal of Luminescence, Vol. 126, pp. 225-229, (2007)), and performance differences related to the different anode structure . The best performance was achieved with a conductive polymer, 3,4-polyethylenedioxythiopene-polystyrenesultonate (PEDOT), used as an anode layer, yielding a brightness of 1720 cd/m² at 25V, a turn-on voltage of 3V, and electroluminescence (EL) efficiency and external quantum efficiency of 8.2 cd/A and 2%, respectively, at a brightness of 100 cd/m ² and 5V.

In the article “Origin of damages in OLED from Al top electrode deposition by DC magnetron sputtering” (Organic Electronics, Vol. 11, pp. 322-331, (2010)), Tae Hyun Gil et al. examine organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) having Al top electrodes deposited on organic layers by direct-current magnetron sputtering. The OLEDs consisted of electronically doped transport layers and phosphorescent emission layer were characterized by typical current—voltage—luminance measurement. They showed higher leakage currents, decreased forward currents, and corresponding increases of driving voltage after the sputter deposition on the organic layers. The OLEDs exhibited randomly distributed bright spots on the active area, and the bright spots were investigated by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In order to prove the origins of sputter damage, simple organic/Al layer samples were made and investigated by ellipsometry and laser-induced desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Glyn J. Reynolds et al. fabricated simple thin-film capacitor stacks from sputter-deposited doped barium titanate dielectric films with sputtered Pt and/or Ni electrodes and electrically characterized (“Electrical Properties of Thin-Film Capacitors Fabricated Using High Temperature Sputtered Modified Barium Titanate”, Materials, Vol. 5, pp. 644-660, (2012)). Here, Glyn J. Reynolds et al. reported small signal, low frequency capacitance and parallel resistance data measured as a function of applied DC bias, polarization versus applied electric field strength and DC load/unload experiments. These capacitors exhibited significant leakage (in the range 8-210 μA/cm²) and dielectric loss. Measured breakdown strength for the sputtered doped barium titanate films was in the range 200 kV/cm⁻² MV/cm. For all devices tested, Glyn J. Reynolds et al. observed clear evidence for dielectric saturation at applied electric field strengths above 100 kV/cm: saturated polarization was in the range 8-15 μC/cm². When cycled under DC conditions, the maximum energy density measured for any of the capacitors tested by Glyn J. Reynolds et al. was ˜4.7×10⁻²W-h/liter based solely on the volume of the dielectric material. This corresponds to a specific energy of ˜8×10⁻³ W-h/kg, again calculated on a dielectric-only basis. These results are compared to those reported by other authors and a simple theoretical treatment provided that quantifies the maximum energy that can be stored in these and similar devices as a function of dielectric strength and saturation polarization. Finally, Glyn J. Reynolds et al. developed a predictive model to provide guidance on how to tailor the relative permittivities of high-k dielectrics in order to optimize their energy storage capacities.

According to Donna M. Joyce et al., Electrostatic capacitors offer higher power density, lower loss, and higher operating voltage than their electrolytic and super-capacitor counterparts (“Re-engineering the Polymer Capacitor, Layer by Layer”, Adv. Energy Mater., 1600676, (2016)). However, these capacitors suffer from the low energy density (<2 J cm −3), limiting their applications in high power integrated systems such as pulsed power and high frequency inverters. Donna M. Joyce et al. propose a novel approach to achieve higher energy densities by re-engineering the architecture of capacitors. The new capacitor device is a layered structure that incorporates thin electron and hole blocking layers deposited between the conducting electrodes and the dielectric material.

The quality of electrodes plays an extremely important role in all listed electronic devices. An important characteristic of electrodes is an ability to prevent considerable leakage currents. In particular, this property (quality) of electrodes is important for energy storage devices. In the electric-power industry super-capacitors are often used as energy storage devices. An increase in voltage on the electrodes of a capacitor (e.g., a super-capacitor) leads to increasing of the storage energy. The maximum value of working voltage is limited to a breakdown voltage of the capacitor. In turn, the breakdown voltage is affected by the quality of dielectric and, in particular, the degree to which the electrodes do not inject electrons or holes from electrodes and consequently do not provoke a breakdown of the dielectric of the capacitor.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is intended to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art super-capacitor electrodes by reducing the tendency of the electrodes to inject electrons in a dielectric layer of the capacitor (and to thereby decrease leakage currents).

The present disclosure provides a multilayered electrode comprising an electro-conductive layer and at least one protective layer located on one side of the electro-conductive layer. The at least one protective layer may include a field-planarization layer, a tunneling injection blocking layer or a coulomb blocking layer or some combination of two or more of these. A field-planarization layer minimizes electric field enhancement due to geometric curvature on the surface of the electro-conductive layer. A tunneling injection blocking layer comprises a wide-band gap organic insulating material. A coulomb blocking layer comprises electron traps.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a multilayered structure for an energy storage device comprising a dielectric layer, and the multilayered electrode disclosed above and located on at least one surface of the dielectric layer.

In still another aspect, the present disclosure provides a film energy storage device comprising two multilayered structures disclosed above and laminated with each other. The laminated structure may be characterized by the following sequence of layers: multilayered electrode—dielectric layer—multilayered electrode—dielectric layer.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A more complete assessment of the present invention and its advantages will be readily achieved as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed specification, all of which forms a part of the disclosure. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of example only, in the following Figures, of which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows one non-limiting example of a multilayered electrode in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 schematically shows another non-limiting example of a multilayered electrode with a different sequence of protective layers than the multilayered electrode shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 schematically shows still another non-limiting example of a multilayered electrode with a different sequence of protective layers than the electrodes shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the function of a field-planarization layer in a multilayered electrode in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure when this layer smooths roughness features (e.g., ledges and cavities) of the surface of the electro-conductive layer.

FIG. 5 depicts an energy band diagram in contact with the tunneling injection blocking layer and the electro-conductive layer of a multilayered electrode in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 schematically shows mechanism of functioning of the coulomb blocking layer of a multilayered electrode in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a non-limiting example of a multilayered structure which comprises a dielectric layer and multilayered electrode located on one surface of the dielectric layer in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a non-limiting example of a laminated structure in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure characterized by the following sequence of layers: multilayered electrode—dielectric layer—multilayered electrode—dielectric layer.

FIG. 9 schematically shows one non-limiting example of a disclosed film energy storage device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While various embodiments illustrating aspects of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed.

In the present disclosure the following terminology is used.

The term “an electro-conductive layer” refers to a layer of an electro-conductive material which is formed, for example, by a vacuum evaporation (deposition) of atoms of metals or electro-conductive organic molecules onto a surface of any substrate. The external surface of this layer may be rough. The roughness of the surface may be envisioned as a set of ledges and cavities which form a surface micro-profile. If such electro-conductive layers are used, for example, in capacitors, near these ledges areas of high electric field are formed. This high electric field can lead to breakdown of a dielectric layer of the capacitor. Therefore, to prevent such destructive processes it is necessary to use field-planarization layers. Nevertheless, the roughness (ledges) of the electro-conductive layers formed by deposition of metals are higher in comparison with the roughness (ledges) of the electro-conductive layers formed by deposition of organic molecules. Therefore, it is more necessary to use the field-planarization layers in case of the metal electro-conductive layers.

The term “a field-planarization layer” refers to a layer which smooths out a discontinuity of an electric field on a surface of the electro-conductive layer. The field-planarization layer may be made of polarizable or electro-conductive materials deposited from a liquid or melt stage (phase). When using metal for formation of the field-planarization layer, metal fills up cavities on a surface of the electro-conductive layer and by that reduces its roughness. When polarizable materials are used for formation of the field-planarization layer, then these materials reduce intensity of an electric field in area near of the ledges on the surface of the electro-conductive layer due to the material's polarizability.

The term “LUMO” means a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital.

The term “HOMO” means a highest occupied molecular orbital.

The term “a tunneling injection blocking layer” refers to a layer having the difference in the energy levels of its LUMO and HOMO levels that is greater than 4 electron-volts. In one embodiment such layer provides increase of an energy gap E_ge for electrons which is equal to difference between LUMO-level of the tunneling injection blocking layer and work function Wf of the electro-conductive layer. The value of the energy gap E_ge may be not less than 1 electron-volt. This energy gap prevents injection of electrons from the electro-conductive layer. In another embodiment such a layer provides increase of an energy gap E_gh for holes which is equal to difference between a work function Wf of the electro-conductive layer and HOMO-level of the tunneling injection blocking layer. The value of the energy gap E_gh may be not less than 1 electron-volt. This energy gap prevents injection of holes from the electro-conductive layer.

The term “a coulomb blocking layer” refers to a layer containing electronic traps. When electrons are injected into this layer, they become motionless (are fixed) in these traps and the layer becomes negatively charged at the expense of the electrons which are stored in this layer. This stored electric charge can prevent injection of new electrons into this layer due to Coulomb repulsion of the injected electrons and the stored electric charge. Thus, “the coulomb blocking layer” carries out blockade of an injection of electrons into this coulomb blocking layer.

The term “a wide-band gap organic insulating material” refers to a material having an energy gap band, i.e., the difference between the LUMO and HOMO energy levels, greater than 4 electron-volts.

The term “breakdown field strength” refers to a characteristic electric field in which the dielectric layer becomes conductive.

The present disclosure provides the multilayered electrode as disclosed above. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the multilayered electrode comprises one, two or three protective layers which are different and selected from the list consisting of the field-planarization layer, tunneling injection blocking layer and the coulomb blocking layer, wherein the listed layers may be in any sequence.

In another embodiment of disclosed multilayered electrode, a material of the electro-conductive layer may be selected from the list consisting of metal, an electro-conductive oligomer, an electro-conductive (current-conducting) polymer, a molecular-crystal material, a molecular material.

In yet another embodiment of the multilayered electrode, the electro-conductive (current-conducting) polymer may be selected from the list consisting of polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, poly-p-phenylenesulphide, poly-para-phenylenevinylene, polyindole, polycarbazole, polyazulene, polyfluorene, polynaphthalene.

In still another embodiment of the multilayered electrode, the material of the electro-conductive layer may be selected from the list consisting nickel, gold, platinum, lead, chromium, titanium, copper, aluminum, molybdenum, tungsten, indium, silver, calcium, tantalum, palladium and any combination thereof.

In one embodiment of the multilayered electrode, the material of the electro-conductive layer comprises an electro-conductive oligomer, such as a phenylene oligomer or a polyacene quinine radical oligomer. In some such embodiments of the multilayered electrode, the electro-conductive oligomer may be selected from structures 1 to 9 as shown in Table 1, wherein n=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, Z is ═O, ═S or ═NT₁, and T₁ is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₁₈alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted C₂-C₁₈alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted C₂-C₁₈alkynyl, and unsubstituted or substituted C₄-C₁₈aryl.

TABLE 1
Examples of the electro-conductive oligomers
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

In yet another embodiment, the field-planarization layer may be made of a polarizable material deposited from liquid or melt stage (phase), where polarizability of the polarizable material is greater than polarizability of propylene. The polarizable material may include organic compounds comprised of rylene moieties optionally conjugated or unconjugated with phenyl, naphthyl, or anthryl moieties, and dopant groups of nucleophilic and electrophilic types optionally positioned in apex and lateral positions of the organic compound. Positioning of the dopant groups can be selected to increase or decrease non-linear polarization response to an electric field. Such positioning can be related to symmetry of the organic compound. Non limiting examples of the organic compounds comprised of rylene moieties include:

Where n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and represents the number of repeat units.

In still another embodiment, the field-planarization layer may be made of an electro-conductive material deposited from liquid or melt stage (phase). In one embodiment of the multilayered electrode, the field-planarization layer may be created by spin coating of mentioned above materials onto the electro-conductive layer. In one embodiment of the multilayered electrode, the material of the coulomb blocking layer comprises tetrapyrrolic macrocyclic fragments having a general structural formula from the group comprising structures 10-14 as shown in Table 1, where M is an atom of metal serving as electron traps.

TABLE 2
Examples of the organic compounds comprising tetrapirolic
macro-cyclic fragments
10
11
12
13
14

In one embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, the wide-band gap organic insulating material may have an energy gap between the LUMO and HOMO energy levels greater than 4 electron-volts. In another embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, the difference between LUMO-level of the wide-band gap organic insulating material and a work function (Wf) of the electro-conductive layer is not less than 1 electron-volt. In yet another embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, the difference between a work function (Wf) of the electro-conductive layer and HOMO-level of the wide-band gap organic insulating material is not less than 1 electron-volt. In one embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, the tunneling injection blocking layer is monomolecular layer and comprises amphiphilic molecules selected from the list consisting of amines (RNH₃⁺), carboxylates (RCO₂⁻), sulphates (RSO₄⁻), sulfonates (RSO₃⁻), phosphates (RHPO₄⁻), alcohols (ROH), thiols (RSH), where R is a carbon chain comprising more than ten CH₂- and CF₂-groups. In one embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, the carbon chains are polymerized by ultraviolet light. In another embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode, a thickness of the tunneling injection blocking layer is not less, than lnm and is defined by the carbon chain length.

Aspects of the present disclosure include the multilayered structure as disclosed above. Additional aspects of the present disclosure include a multilayered structure configured for use as an energy storage device. Such a multilayered structure comprises a dielectric layer, and the multilayered electrode located on one surface of the dielectric layer. The electro-conductive layer of the multilayered electrode may be produced from the electro-conductive organic compound by the Cascade Crystallization process.

Cascade Crystallization involves a chemical modification step and four steps of ordering during the electro-conductive layer formation. The chemical modification step introduces hydrophilic groups on the periphery of the molecule of the electro-conductive organic compound in order to impart amphiphilic properties to the molecule. Amphiphilic molecules stack together into supra-molecules, which is the first step of ordering. At certain concentration, supra-molecules are converted into a liquid-crystalline state to form a lyotropic liquid crystal, which is the second step of ordering. The lyotropic liquid crystal is deposited under the action of a shear force (or meniscus force) onto the dielectric layer based on a Mayer Rod shearing technique, so that shear force (or the meniscus) direction determines the crystal axis direction in the resulting the electro-conductive layer. This directional deposition is third step of ordering, representing the global ordering of the crystalline or polycrystalline structure on the dielectric layer surface. The last fourth step of the Cascade Crystallization process is drying/crystallization, which converts the lyotropic liquid crystal into a solid crystal electro-conductive layer. The term Cascade Crystallization process is used to refer to the chemical modification and four ordering steps as a combination process.

The Cascade Crystallization process is used for production of thin crystalline electro-conductive layers. The electro-conductive layer produced by the Cascade Crystallization process has a global order which means that a direction of the crystallographic axis of the layer over the entire dielectric layer surface is controlled by the deposition process. Molecules of the deposited electro-conductive organic compound are packed into supra-molecules with a limited freedom of diffusion or motion. The thin crystalline electro-conductive layer is molecular-crystal layer characterized by an inter-planar spacing of 3.4±0.3 Angstroms (Å) in the direction of one of the optical axes. In other embodiment of disclosed multilayered structure, the electro-conductive layer may be formed by vacuum deposition of metal atoms onto the dielectric layer. In one embodiment of the disclosed multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises a material having breakdown field strength greater than 0.5 V/nm, greater than 1.0 V/nm, greater than 5.0 V/nm, greater than 10 V/nm. In another embodiment of the disclosed multilayered structure, a surface of the dielectric layer contains surfactant which is intended to increase wettability of the electro-conductive material in the time of forming the multilayered electrode. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the multilayered structure has a rectangular shape in-plan. In still another embodiment of the multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from oxides, nitrides, oxynitrides and fluorides. In another embodiment of the multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from SiO₂, SiO_xN_y, HfO₂, Al₂O₃ or Si₃N₄. In one embodiment of the multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises an organic compound which is characterized by electronic polarizability and has a following general structural formula (1):

where Core is an aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule, R₁ is a group that electrically insulates the organic compound from neighboring compounds and in some instances may also provide solubility of the organic compound in an organic solvent, n is between 1 and 8, R₂ and R₂′ are substituents located in apex positions, R₃ and R₃′ and R₄ and R₄′ are substituents located on side (lateral) positions. The core has flat anisometric form and the R₂ substituent is independently selected from hydrogen and electrophilic groups (acceptors) and nucleophilic groups, and the R₂′ substituent is independently selected from hydrogen and nucleophilic groups (donors) and electrophilic groups (acceptors). Substituents R₃ and R₃′ and R₄ and R₄′ are independently selected from hydrogen and nucleophilic groups (donors) and electrophilic groups (acceptors). The substitutes R₂, R₂′, R₃, R₃′, R₄, R₄′ cannot be hydrogen simultaneously.

In yet another embodiment of the multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable complex compound having the following general formula (2):[M⁴⁺(L)_m]^XK_n,   (2)where complexing agent M is a four-valence metal, ligand L comprises at least one heteroatomic fragment comprising at least one metal-coordinating heteroatom (neutral or anionic) and at least one electrically resistive fragment that provides resistivity to electric current, m represents the number of ligands, x represents the oxidative state of the metal-ligand complex, K is a counter-ion or zwitterionic polymer which provides an electro-neutrality of the complex compound, n represents the number of counter-ions, wherein said metal-coordinating heteroatoms form a first coordination sphere, and the number of heteroatoms in this first coordination sphere does not exceed 12.

In still another embodiment of the multilayered structure, the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable compound having the following general formula (3):

where Core1 is an aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule having two-dimensional flat form and self-assembling by pi-pi stacking in a column-like supramolecule, R1 are electron donor groups connected to the aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule (Core1) and R1′ are electron acceptor groups connected to the aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule (Core1), m is number of acceptor groups R1 , m′ is a number of donor groups R1′, m and m′ are equal to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein m and m′ are not both equal to 0, R2 is a substituent comprising one or more ionic groups from a class of ionic compounds that are used in ionic liquids connected to the aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule (Core1) directly or via a connecting group, p is a number of ionic groups R2 which is equal to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. The fragment marked NLE containing the Core1 with at least one group R1 and/or R1′ has a nonlinear effect of polarization. The Core2 is an electro-conductive oligomer, n is a number of the electro-conductive oligomers which is equal to 0, 2, or 4, R3 is a substituent comprising one or more ionic groups from a class of ionic compounds that are used in ionic liquids connected to the electro-conductive oligomer (Core2) directly or via a connecting group, s is a number of the ionic groups R3 which is equal to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. The substituent R4 is a resistive substituent providing solubility of the organic compound in a solvent and electrically insulating the column-like supramolecules from each other and connected to the aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule (Core1) and/or to the electro-conductive oligomer (Core2) directly or via a connecting group, k is a number of substituents R4 which is equal to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8.

The present disclosure provides the film energy storage device as disclosed above. In one embodiment of the disclosed film energy storage device, the two laminated multilayered structures are wound into a spiral.

In order that aspects of the present disclosure may be more readily understood, reference is made to the following Figures, which are intended to be illustrative of the invention, but is not intended to be limiting in scope.

In one non-limiting example of an embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode schematically shown in FIG. 1, the following sequence of layers is carried out: an electro-conductive layer 1, field-planarization layer 2, tunneling injection blocking layer 3, and a coulomb blocking layer 4. The multilayered electrode may include one, two or three protective layers which are different and may be selected from the list consisting of the field-planarization layer, tunneling injection blocking layer and the coulomb blocking layer. These protective layers may be sandwiched together in any sequence.

FIG. 2 depicts another non-limiting example of an embodiment of the disclosed multilayered electrode is schematically. This multilayered electrode is characterized by a different sequence of the above-mentioned protective layers. In this example, the coulomb blocking layer 4 is created on an electro-conductive layer 1. The field-planarization layer 2 is formed upon the coulomb blocking layer 4 and the tunneling injection blocking layer 3 is formed on the field planarization layer.

FIG. 3 schematically shows still another non-limiting example of the disclosed multilayered electrode which is characterized by yet another sequence of protective layers in comparison with the electrodes shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Specifically, the tunneling injection blocking layer 3 is formed upon the electro-conductive layer 1, the coulomb blocking layer 4 is formed upon the tunneling injection blocking layer 3, and the field planarization layer 2 is formed upon the coulomb blocking layer 4.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example of the field-planarization layer 2 smoothing roughness (e.g., ledges and cavities) of the surface of the electro-conductive layer 1.

FIG. 5 shows an energy band diagram for the tunneling injection blocking layer 3 and the electro-conductive layer 1, FIG. 5, LUMO denotes an energy level of a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the tunneling injection blocking layer 3 and HOMO denotes a highest occupied molecular orbital of the tunneling injection blocking layer 3. W_fe denotes the work function of the electro-conductive layer 1 and the energy gap E_ge is equal to LUMO—W_fe. FIG. 5 also shows how the electrons are reflected from the energy gap E_ge leading to a decrease of leakage current and injection of electrons out of the electro-conductive layer 1.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates functioning of the coulomb blocking layer 4. When first electrons are injected into this layer out of the electro-conductive layer 1, they become motionless (are fixed) on these traps and the coulomb blocking layer 4 becomes negatively charged at the expense of the electrons which are stored in this layer. This stored electric charge 11 will prevent injection of new electrons 12 into this layer due to Coulomb repulsion of the injected electrons and the stored electric charge. Thus, “the coulomb blocking layer” carries out blockade of an injection of electrons into this coulomb blocking layer.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a multilayered structure 13 having a dielectric layer 14 and multilayered electrode 15 located on one surface of the dielectric layer. The multilayered electrode 15 includes an electro-conductive layer, a field-planarization layer, a tunneling injection blocking layer and a coulomb blocking layer, as described above. In the multilayered electrode 15, the three protective layers, i.e., the field-planarization layer, tunneling injection blocking layer and coulomb blocking layer may be sandwiched together in any sequence including, but not limited to the sequences depicted in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a laminated structure 16 which characterized by the following sequence of layers: first multilayered electrode 17—first dielectric layer 18—second multilayered electrode 19—second dielectric layer 20. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, the thickness of each multilayered electrode 17, 19 may be in the range from about 30 nm up to about 300 nm and the thickness of each dielectric layer 18, 20 may be in the range from about 1000 nm up to about 5000 nm and for some applications up to 10,000 nm. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, the dielectric layers 18 and 20 may include one or more of the types of electro-polarizable compounds described above with respect to formula (1), formula (2), or formula (3).

FIG. 9 schematically shows a film energy storage device 21 wherein a laminated multilayered structure 16 of the type described above and shown in FIG. 8 is wound (coiled) into a spiral. In some implementations, two or more such laminated multilayered structures may be sandwiched together and then wound (coiled) into a spiral. The length of the layered structures wound into one device/coil may be, e.g., from 300 m up to 10,000 m and even higher for some applications. Further, in some implementations two or more laminated multilayered structures sandwiched together and wound into a coiled capacitor may include from about 500 turns to more than 45,000 turns.

While the above includes a complete description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to use various alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be determined not with reference to the above description but should, instead, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with their full scope of equivalents. Any feature described herein, whether preferred or not, may be combined with any other feature described herein, whether preferred or not. In the claims that follow, the indefinite article “A”, or “An” refers to a quantity of one or more of the item following the article, except where expressly stated otherwise. As used herein, in a listing of elements in the alternative, the word “or” is used in the logical inclusive sense, e.g., “X or Y” covers X alone, Y alone, or both X and Y together, except where expressly stated otherwise. Two or more elements listed as alternatives may be combined together. The appended claims are not to be interpreted as including means-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase “means for.”

Claims

1. An multilayered electrode comprising an electro-conductive layer and at least one protective layer located on one side of the electro-conductive layer and selected from the list comprising a field-planarization layer configured to minimize electric field enhancement due to geometric curvature on a surface of the electro-conductive layer, a tunneling injection blocking layer including a wide-band gap organic insulating material, a coulomb blocking layer including electron traps, and any combination of two or more of these.

2. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, comprising one, two or three protective layers which are different and selected from the list consisting of the field-planarization layer, tunneling injection blocking layer and the coulomb blocking layer sandwiched together in any sequence.

3. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein a material of the electro-conductive layer is selected from the list consisting of metal, an electro-conductive oligomer, an electro-conductive (current-conducting) polymer, a molecular-crystal material, a molecular material.

4. The multilayered electrode according to claim 3, wherein the electro-conductive (current-conducting) polymer is selected from the list consisting of polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, poly-p-phenylenesulphide, poly-para-phenylenevinylene, polyindole, polycarbazole, polyazulene, polyfluorene, polynaphthalene.

5. The multilayered electrode according to claim 3, wherein a material of the electro-conductive layer is selected from the list consisting of nickel, gold, platinum, lead, chromium, titanium, copper, aluminium, molybdenum, tungsten, indium, silver, calcium, tantalum, palladium and any combination thereof.

6. The multilayered electrode according to claim 3, wherein the material of the electro-conductive layer comprises an electro-conductive oligomer including a phenylene oligomer and a polyacene quinine radical oligomer.

7. The multilayered electrode according to claim 6, wherein the electro-conductive oligomer is selected from the structures 1 to 9 wherein n=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, Z is ═O, ═S or ═NT1, and T1 is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or substituted C1-C18alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted C2-C18alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted C2-C18alkynyl, and unsubstituted or substituted C4-C18aryl

8. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein protective layer includes the field-planarization layer, wherein the field planarization layer includes a polarizable material deposited from liquid or melt stage (phase), where polarizability of the polarizable material is greater than polarizability of propylene.

9. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the field-planarization layer, wherein the field planarization layer includes an electro-conductive material deposited from liquid or melt stage (phase).

10. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the coulomb blocking layer, wherein the coulomb blocking layer includes tetrapyrrolic macrocyclic fragments having a general structural formula from the group comprising structures 10-14, where M is an atom of metal serving as the electron traps:

11. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the tunneling injection blocking layer including a wide-band gap organic insulating material, wherein the wide-band gap organic insulating material has an energy gap band greater than 4 electron-volts, wherein the energy gap band is an energy difference between an energy level of a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the tunneling injection blocking layer and a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the tunneling injection blocking layer.

12. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the tunneling injection blocking layer including a wide-band gap organic insulating material, wherein a difference between a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level of the wide-band gap organic insulating material and a work function (Wf) of the electro-conductive layer is not less than 1 electron-volt.

13. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the tunneling injection blocking layer including a wide-band gap organic insulating material, wherein a difference between a work function (Wf) of the electro-conductive layer and a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of the wide-band gap organic insulating material is not less than 1 electron-volt.

14. The multilayered electrode according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes the tunneling injection blocking layer, wherein the tunneling injection blocking layer is monomolecular layer and comprises amphiphilic molecules selected from the list consisting of amines (RNH3+), carboxylates (RCO2−), sulphates (RSO4−), sulfonates (RSO3−), phosphates (RHPO4−), alcohols (ROH), thiols (RSH), where R is a carbon chain comprising more than ten CH2- and CF2-groups.

15. The multilayered electrode according to claim 14, wherein the carbon chains are polymerized by ultraviolet light.

16. The multilayered electrode according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of the tunneling injection blocking layer is not less, than lnm and is defined by the carbon chain length.

17. A multilayered structure for an energy storage device comprising a dielectric layer, andthe multilayered electrode according to claim 1, located on one surface of the dielectric layer.

18. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material having breakdown field strength greater than 0.5 V/nm, greater than 1.0 V/nm, greater than 5.0 V/nm, greater than 10 V/nm.

19. The multilayered semi-product according to claim 17, wherein a surface of the dielectric layer contains surfactant which is intended to increase wettability of the electro-conductive material in the time of forming the multilayered electrode.

20. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, having a rectangular shape in-plan.

21. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from oxides, nitrides, oxynitrides and fluorides.

22. The multilayered structure according to claim 21, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from SiO2, SiOxNy, HfO2, Al2O3 or Si3N4.

23. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an organic compound which is characterized by electronic polarizability and has a following general structural formula:

24. The multilayered structure according to claim 23, wherein R1 is a group that electrically insulates said organic compound from neighboring compounds and provides solubility of the organic compound in an organic solvent.

25. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable complex compound having the following general formula: [M4+(L)m]XKn,where complexing agent M is a four-valence metal, ligand L comprises at least one heteroatomic fragment comprising at least one metal-coordinating heteroatom (neutral or anionic) and at least one electrically resistive fragment that provides resistivity to electric current, m represents the number of ligands, x represents the oxidative state of the metal-ligand complex, K is a counter-ion or zwitterionic polymer which provides an electro-neutrality of the complex compound, n represents the number of counter-ions, wherein said metal-coordinating heteroatoms form a first coordination sphere, and the number of heteroatoms in this first coordination sphere does not exceed 12.

26. The multilayered structure according to claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable compound having the following general formula:

27. A film energy storage device comprising two multilayered structures according to claim 17 laminated with each other, wherein the laminated structure is characterized by the following sequence of layers: multilayered electrode—dielectric layer—multilayered electrode—dielectric layer.

28. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the two laminated multilayered structures are wound (coiled) into a spiral.

29. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material having breakdown field strength greater than 0.5 V/nm, greater than 1.0 V/nm, greater than 5.0 V/nm, greater than 10 V/nm.

30. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein a surface of the dielectric layer contains surfactant which is intended to increase wettability of the electro-conductive material in the time of forming the multilayered electrode.

31. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, having a rectangular shape in-plan.

32. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from oxides, nitrides, oxynitrides and fluorides.

33. The film energy storage device according to claim 32, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material selected from SiO2, SiOxNy, HfO2, Al2O3 or Si3N4.

34. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an organic compound which is characterized by electronic polarizability and has a following general structural formula:

35. The film energy storage device according to claim 34, wherein R1 is a group that electrically insulates said organic compound from neighboring compounds and provides solubility of the organic compound in an organic solvent.

36. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable complex compound having the following general formula: [M4+(L)m]XKn,where complexing agent M is a four-valence metal, ligand L comprises at least one heteroatomic fragment comprising at least one metal-coordinating heteroatom (neutral or anionic) and at least one electrically resistive fragment that provides resistivity to electric current, m represents the number of ligands, x represents the oxidative state of the metal-ligand complex, K is a counter-ion or zwitterionic polymer which provides an electro-neutrality of the complex compound, n represents the number of counter-ions, wherein said metal-coordinating heteroatoms form a first coordination sphere, and the number of heteroatoms in this first coordination sphere does not exceed 12.

37. The film energy storage device according to claim 27, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an electro-polarizable compound having the following general formula: