Hours:
20 hours (5 credits)

Room:

Aula Riunioni del Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Via G. Caruso 16, Pisa - Ground Floor

To register to the course, click here

Short Abstract:

Fabrication of 3D nano- and microstructures has become crucial for developing new sustainable energy solutions. These innovative structures can improve the efficiency of devices for energy production, storage, and conversion, such as batteries, solar cells, and supercapacitors. Microsfabrication techniques enable extreme precision and flexibility, which are essential for optimizing energy performance while reducing material consumption. These advances also promote the development of flexible, energy-efficient electronic devices suited to new technological demands and particularly wearable technologies. By integrating sustainability, these research efforts help reduce the environmental impact of energy technologies. The ability to produce complex nano- and micro-scale structures opens new possibilities for increasing storage capacity and efficient renewable energy storage systems. Moreover, these innovations support the transition to a more environmentally-friendly society by promoting the use of responsible and more effective materials. Mastering these advanced techniques could transform the energy sector, making it more sustainable, flexible, and accessible.Fabrication of 3D nano- and microstructures has become crucial for developing new sustainable energy solutions. These innovative structures can improve the efficiency of devices for energy production, storage, and conversion, such as batteries, solar cells, and supercapacitors. Microsfabrication techniques enable extreme precision and flexibility, which are essential for optimizing energy performance while reducing material consumption. These advances also promote the development of flexible, energy-efficient electronic devices suited to new technological demands and particularly wearable technologies. By integrating sustainability, these research efforts help reduce the environmental impact of energy technologies. The ability to produce complex nano- and micro-scale structures opens new possibilities for increasing storage capacity and efficient renewable energy storage systems. Moreover, these innovations support the transition to a more environmentally-friendly society by promoting the use of responsible and more effective materials. Mastering these advanced techniques could transform the energy sector, making it more sustainable, flexible, and accessible.

This course is dedicated to the principle of electrochemical energy storage for microelectronics. It will be presented recent progress achieved in the field of microbatteries for powering sensors, lab-on-a-chips, e-textiles, medical patches, etc. The principles will be explained in terms of basic electrochemistry and thermodynamics. The relationship between properties at the atomic level with the performance of the power sources will be highlighted. Particularly, an insight into the use of micro-nanostructured materials to improve the storage capacity, rate capability, and cyclability will be given. Advanced manufacturing techniques to realize 3D structures like lithographic techniques and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) will be also emphasized.

Course Contents in brief:

• Basics of electrochemistry
  Redox reactions
  Thermodynamics of redox reaction
  Kinetics of redox reaction (activation and diffusion processes)
  The electrochemical interfaces
• Electrochemical analysis techniques for the characterization of energy storage systems
  Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic experiments
  Current and potential transients
  Cyclic voltammetry
  Charge and discharge profiles
  Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• From the Lithium-ion technology to the design of microbatteries
  Principle and applications
  The negative electrodes for microbatteries (C, oxydes, Si, …)
  The positive electrodes for microbatteries (spinels, …)
  The different electrolytes for microbatteries
  Towards the next generation of microbatteries
• Microfabrication processes for designing microbatteries
  Optical lithography
  Electron- and ion-beam lithography
  Thin-film deposition of battery components (top down and bottom-up)
  Recent examples dedicated to the fabrication of energy storage microsystems
  Flexible microbatteries
  Beyond Li-ion technology (Na-ion, K-ion, etc.)

 Schedule:

1. Day1 – June 9, 2025, 9:00 -13:00 
2. Day2 – June 10, 2025, 9:00 -13:00
3. Day3 – June 11, 2025, 9:00 -13:00
4. Day4 – June 12, 2025, 9:00 -13:00
5. Day5 – June 13, 2025, 9:00 -13:00