Advanced solid electrolyte and method of fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016293989-A1
Application number	US-201615088432-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of providing a layer of solid electrolyte comprises providing a host substrate including a crystalline solid electrolyte layer, and transferring the crystalline solid electrolyte layer from the host substrate to a receiver substrate. The method may be used to manufacture various devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen sensors, batteries, and donor structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of providing a layer of solid electrolyte, comprising:
providing a host substrate including a crystalline solid electrolyte layer; and transferring the crystalline solid electrolyte layer from the host substrate to a receiver substrate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the host substrate comprises either a bulk substrate of crystalline solid electrolyte material or a donor layer of crystalline solid electrolyte disposed on a support substrate.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the host substrate comprises a donor layer of crystalline solid electrolyte deposited on a support substrate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the crystalline solid electrolyte layer from the host substrate to the receiver substrate comprises:
assembling the host substrate with a receiver substrate, the solid electrolyte layer being between the host substrate and the receiver substrate; and thinning the host substrate.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein thinning the host substrate comprises:
forming a zone of weakness in the host substrate so as to define a portion of the host substrate comprising the layer to be transferred; and detaching at the zone of weakness so as to transfer the portion to the receiver substrate.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein forming the zone of weakness comprises implanting atomic and/or ionic species into the host substrate.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the zone of weakness comprises a release layer in the host substrate, and wherein the method further comprises activating the release layer when detaching at the zone of weakness so as to transfer the portion to the receiver substrate.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein detaching at the zone of weakness so as to transfer the portion to the receiver substrate comprises at least one of: annealing the host substrate, application of thermal stress to the host substrate, application of mechanic stress to the host substrate, irradiating the host substrate, or etching the host substrate.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid electrolyte material has an ionic conductivity above 0.01 S/cm for at least one of hydrogen, oxygen, lithium or natrium ions.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid electrolyte has a thickness in a range extending from 10 nm to 100 μm with a variation in thickness below 5%.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid electrolyte has a defect density below 5/cm 2 .

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of solid electrolyte is a monocrystalline layer.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the solid electrolyte layer comprises a perovskite material.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material of the solid electrolyte layer comprises a material from the group consisting of zirconia, ceria, gallates, and alumina.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the host substrate useable as host substrate for a subsequent transfer of a solid electrolyte layer remains after transfer of the solid electrolyte layer onto the receiver substrate.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating a solid oxide fuel cell including an anode, a cathode, the layer of solid electrolyte in between the anode and the cathode, and electrodes on the side of the anode and the cathode opposing to the layer of solid electrolyte.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating an oxygen sensor comprising two electrodes and the layer of solid electrolyte in between the two electrodes.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating a battery comprising an anode, a cathode, the layer of solid electrolyte in between the anode and cathode, and electrodes on the side of the anode and the cathode opposing to the layer of solid electrolyte.

19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fabricating a donor structure comprising a donor substrate having a main surface and a plurality of crystalline solid electrolyte layer portions on the main surface, wherein each of the plurality of crystalline electrolyte layer portions is obtained by the method of claim 1 .

20 . A device comprising a layer of solid electrolyte provided by the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Soitec Silicon On Insulator

Inventors

• Ghyselen Bruno

Classifications

• H01M2300/0094

  in the form of layered products, e.g. coatings · CPC title

• H01M2300/0071

  Oxides · CPC title

• H01M8/1246

  the electrolyte consisting of oxides · CPC title

• H01M10/0562

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M8/1253 Primary

  the electrolyte containing zirconium oxide · CPC title