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FORNY20-FORNY2020

SuperCap - On-chip superkondensator for IoT

Alternative title: SuperCap - On-chip supercapacitor for IoT

Awarded: NOK 5.0 mill.

Supercapacitors are an energy management device as the rechargeable batteries we know from everyday use. They have the following performance characteristics: 1) Can work for million cycles (recharged and discharged), which is much better than a battery (typically <1000 cycles). 2) Can store relatively little energy (low energy density). 3) Can be recharged extremely quickly and deliver extremely high amounts of energy at one time (high power density). A significant limitation in making wireless and miniaturized electronics lies in the energy supply system. The lifetime and size of the battery, as well as its power ability, are usually the limiting factors. One way to solve this challenge is to combine a regular battery (for energy storage) with a supercapacitor (for power ability and extended battery lifetime). The battery, which itself cannot deliver sufficient power to the application (such as data transmission), instead charges the supercapacitor, which in turn can provide enough power to operate the application. In addition, mono-lithograph integrated supercapacitors are demanded for ASIC but long away from available yet. To improve the system further, the supercapacitor technology needs to be developed for high energy density and on-chip integration. The University of Southeast Norway (USN) has developed a nano fabricated supercapacitor (in short, SuperCap), which shows significantly higher energy density in the lab compared to state-of- the-art.

A key drawback of rechargeable batteries is limited lifetime. A typical rechargeable battery has a lifespan limited primarily by the number of times it is charged, typically <1000 charges. Many users find having to replace the battery a very big disadvantage, as in many smartphones and in IoT devices it is difficult to access. An international team at University of South-Eeastern Norway is doing research on supercapacitors that will solve the lifetime problem. A supercapacitor can store a large amount of electrical energy, typically 10-100 times more energy density per unit weight, volume unit or unit area compared to electrolytic capacitors. They are most often used instead of galvanic batteries as they (1)can be charged faster, (2)have a higher energy density as a power source, (3)are practically maintenance-free.During this FORNY project a nano fabricated supercapacitor (SuperCap) was developed which shows significantly higher energy density in the lab compared to state-of-the-art.

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Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020