US patent 7446014 - Nanoelectrochemical cell

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7446014.html

This patent from Sharp teaches a way to form perhaps the smallest electrochemical cell ever made by using nanowire shells and sleeves filled with electrolyte. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for forming a NanoElectroChemical (NEC) cell, the method comprising:

providing a bottom electrode with a top surface;

forming nanowire shells, each nanowire shell having a nanowire connected to the bottom electrode top surface;

forming a top electrode overlying the nanowire shells; and,

forming nanowire sleeves filled with electrolyte.