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OCTOBER 2023 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 19 For decades, researchers have assumed that the inevitable filmy buildup on electrodes inside rechargeable batteries is the driver of performance loss. Now, we know that view is backward. A study, led by a research team at the Depart- ment of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Labo- ratory, shows that the so-called solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is not an electronic insulator, as previously thought, but instead behaves like a semi- conductor. The first direct measurement of the electrical properties at the boundary between the solid electrode and the liquid electro- lyte inside a rechargeable bat- tery is reported today in Nature Energy. The research solves the long-standing mystery of how SEI functions electrically during battery operation. Researchers focus on this SEI layer, which is thin- ner than a sheet of tissue paper, because of its outsized role in battery performance. When bat- teries are new, the SEI forms on the first charging cycle and ideally remains stable during the bat- tery's expected lifespan. But a look inside an aging rechargeable battery often reveals substantial buildup of solid lithium on the negative electrodes. Battery researchers have assumed that this buildup causes the performance losses. The group's measurements r e v e a l e d t h a t a s v o l t a g e increases in the battery, the SEI layer in all cases leaks electrons, making it semi-conductive. (Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) A New Twist on Rechargeable Battery Performance 3D-formed passive components, such as coils, 3D antennas, coax, and twisted pair wiring along with vertical traces routed in the X, Y, and Z axes. is standard will create new 3D coupons that will be utilized as the test vehi- cles confirming AME performance and used as qualification test vehicles. AME boards may consist of functional components and inter- connect which present a challenge because testing will advance from interconnect reliabil- ity testing to incorporation for functional com- ponent parametric validation. The Teams e subcommittees and task groups have a wide breadth of volunteers from Europe, North America, and Asia to form these standards. Industries such as military, PCB fabricators, consumer, AME equipment manufacturers, and AM material suppliers are represented. IPC is always looking for more volunteers to review and develop standards to ensure they accurately specify industry requirements for electronic interconnects. Join the teams that are developing these new standards for this exciting AME technology. DESIGN007 Dana Korf is the AME standards manager at Nano Dimension where he is responsible for working with the industry to create additively manufactured electronics (AME) standards. He is chair of IPC D-67 AME subcommittee and vice chair of the ASTM F24- 07-06 AM Applications, Electronics subcommittee. Dana is the principal consultant at Korf Consul- tancy LLC, working with companies to improve PCB fabricator front-end engineering processes. He works with OEMs and ODMs to create design rules and technology roadmaps, assist with supplier selec- tion/qualification, and reduce DFM cycles. Dana pre- viously worked for more than seven years in China at Multek in Zhuhai as senior director of manufacturing engineering and NPI and at Huawei Technologies in Shenzhen as director of PCB technology, where he was responsible for PCB technology ranging from mobile phones to RF antennas, base stations, and high-speed digital servers and switches. Before that, he worked for Samina-SCI, HADCO, and Zycon as director of product engineering. He has been awarded the IPC President's Award, chaired many high-speed IPC committees, and was a co-chair for the iNEMI Data Convergence proj- ect, which became IPC-2581. Dana graduated from Washington State University with a BSEE, and he enjoys following college and professional football and golf. To read past columns, click here.