Anode structure for solid-state lithium-based thin-film battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018287131-A1
Application number	US-201715820609-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 22, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid-state lithium-based battery is provided in which the formation of lithium islands (i.e., lumps) during a charging/recharging cycle is reduced, or even eliminated. Reduction or elimination of lithium islands (i.e., lumps) can be provided by forming a lithium nucleation enhancement liner between a lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer and a top electrode of a solid-state lithium based battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming a solid-state lithium-based battery, the method comprising:
forming a patterned sacrificial material on a surface of a bottom electrode, wherein the patterned sacrificial material contains an opening that physically exposes a portion of the surface of the bottom electrode; forming a lithiated cathode material layer on the patterned sacrificial material and on the physically exposed portion of the surface of the bottom electrode in the opening; forming a lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer on the lithiated cathode material layer; forming a lithium nucleation enhancement liner on the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer; forming a top electrode on the lithium nucleation enhancement liner; and performing a lift-off process to remove the patterned sacrificial material and materials formed on the patterned sacrificial material from the bottom electrode, while maintaining a material stack on the physically exposed portion of the surface of the bottom electrode, wherein the stack includes a remaining portion of each of the lithiated cathode material layer, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, the lithium nucleation enhancement liner and the top electrode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising charging/recharging the solid-state lithium-based battery, wherein during the charging/recharging a lithium accumulation region forms on at least one surface of the lithium nucleation enhancement liner.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lithium accumulation region is continuously located on the at least one surface of the lithium nucleation enhancement liner.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lithium accumulation region is discontinuously located on the at least one surface of the lithium nucleation enhancement liner.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the lithium nucleation enhancement liner comprises gold (Au), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy (TZM), or silicon (Si).

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the lithium nucleation enhancement liner is alloyed with lithium.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the lithium nucleation enhancement liner is not alloyed with lithium.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an air and/or moisture impermeable structure located on physically exposed surfaces of the bottom electrode and surrounding the battery material stack.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after lift-off, the remaining portions of the lithiated cathode material layer, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, and the lithium nucleation enhancement liner have sidewall surfaces that are vertically aligned with each other.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after lift-off, the remaining portion of the top electrode has sidewall surfaces that are vertically aligned to the sidewall surfaces of the remaining portions of the lithiated cathode material layer, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, and the lithium nucleation enhancement liner.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithiated cathode material layer is composed of LiCoO 2 , the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer is composed of LiPON and the lithium nucleation enhancement liner is composed of gold (Au).

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• De Souza Joel P
• Lee Yun Seog
• Sadana Devendra K

Classifications

• H01M10/052 Primary

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/049

  Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container · CPC title

• H01M4/525

  of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy · CPC title

• H01M10/0562 Primary

  Solid materials · CPC title

• H01M4/0447 Primary

  of complete cells or cells stacks · CPC title