FUEL CELL OF MEMS (MICRO ELECTRONIC MECHANICAL SYSTEM) BASE AND METHOD

摘要

PPROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact portable fuel cell in which the thermal separation of an active portion is improved and mechanical stress brought about by heat is reduced. PSOLUTION: The fuel cell 10 comprises a MEMS fuel cell structure 80 that is formed on a substrate 50 and includes a fuel electrode 20, an air electrode 30, and an electrolyte, and an MEMS structure 80 is left in which a part of the substrate is removed from the lower part of the MEMS structure, and an opening 60 that extends upward from the bottom of the substrate is formed, and which is supported in a form of a film. A cantilever construction 110 MEMS fuel cell structure is left in which an opening 65 extends by penetrating the substrate and which is supported by one edge 120 only. An additional opening can be formed in the vicinity of the edge (singular or plural ) supporting the MEMS fuel cell structure in order to ease the mechanical stress and / or restrict a thermal conduction pathway. In order to manufacture the MEMS base fuel cell in various arbitrary constructions, a specially adapted method is disclosed. That is especially useful in application that requires a portable device. PCOPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO