Future Trends in Microelectronics: From Nanophotonics to Sensors to Energy

Exploratory Studies on Silicon-Based Oxide Fuel Cell Power Sources Incorporating Ultrathin Nanostructured Platinum and Cerium Oxide Films as Anode Components

Bo-Kuai Lai, A. C. Johnson, H. Xiong, C. Ko, and S. Ramanathan

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.

1.   Introduction

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) convert chemical energy from hydrogen or hydrocarbons into electrical energy with high power density, high energy efficiency, and low carbon footprints. Their potential applications could cover the span from large-scale power plants to portable electronics.^1,2 SOFCs that are of small form factor and can be manufactured at low cost have increasingly attracted research attention.^2-10 Such SOFCs are usually referred to as micro (μ) or thin-film (TF) SOFCs because of their small form factor and/or the microfabrication and thin film deposition techniques employed.^8,11 In addition, TFSOFCs may also serve as model systems to elucidate the roles of thickness, microstructure, surfaces, and interfaces in further enhancing performance of intermediate- and low-temperature SOFCs.^12-18

The primary physical structure of a TFSOFC is a membrane consisting at least three layers of sub-μm thin films – namely, cathode, electrolyte, and anode. During SOFC operation, oxygen molecules are reduced to oxygen ions on cathode surface or triple phase boundaries (TPBs.) The oxygen ions are then transported (via ion-vacancy exchange) through electrolyte ...