Lithium metal surface modification using carbonate passivation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022181599-A1
Application number	US-202117532800-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 3, 2020
Publication date	Jun 9, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Exemplary processing methods may include translating a lithium film beneath a first showerhead. The methods may include introducing an oxidizer gas through the first showerhead onto the lithium film. The methods may include forming an oxide monolayer on the lithium film. The oxide monolayer may be or include the oxidizer gas adsorbed on the lithium film. The methods may include translating the lithium film beneath a second showerhead after forming the oxide monolayer. The methods may include introducing a carbon source gas through the first showerhead onto the lithium film. The methods may also include converting the oxide monolayer into a carbonate passivation layer through reaction of the oxide monolayer with the carbon source gas.

First claim

1 . A method of processing a lithium film, the method comprising:
translating a lithium film beneath a first showerhead; introducing an oxidizer gas through the first showerhead onto the lithium film; forming an oxide monolayer on the lithium film, the oxide monolayer comprising the oxidizer gas adsorbed on the lithium film; translating the lithium film beneath a second showerhead after forming the oxide monolayer; introducing a carbon source gas through the first showerhead onto the lithium film; and converting the oxide monolayer into a carbonate passivation layer through reaction of the oxide monolayer with the carbon source gas.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium film is supported on a conductive substrate held under tension between two tensioning elements of a film deposition system.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
depositing lithium onto the conductive substrate; and planarizing the deposited lithium.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first showerhead comprises a first plurality of showerhead units oriented along a first axis; the second showerhead comprises a second plurality of showerhead units oriented parallel to the first axis and offset from the first showerhead by a first distance; and the method further comprising: translating the lithium film beneath the first showerhead comprises motion perpendicular to the first axis.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead each comprise a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in an arrangement, wherein the plurality of outlets are positioned to remove excess gas from a region between the plurality of outlets and the lithium film, and wherein an orientation of the plurality of outlets define a flow pattern limiting excess gas flow parallel to the lithium film external to the region.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a pattern in a surface of the lithium film, the pattern defining a plurality of recesses in the surface of the lithium film.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a pattern in the carbonate passivation layer, the pattern defining a plurality of recesses in the carbonate passivation layer, wherein the plurality of recesses reveal a surface of the lithium film.

8 . A method of processing a metal film comprising:
forming an oxide monolayer on a metal film, the oxide monolayer comprising an oxidizer gas adsorbed on the metal film; converting the oxide monolayer into a carbonate passivation layer through reaction of the oxide monolayer with a carbon source gas; and patterning the metal film with a pattern defining a plurality of recesses.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein patterning the metal film comprises:
depositing a substrate layer onto a current collector; forming the pattern in the substrate layer; and depositing the metal film on the substrate layer.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the pattern in the substrate layer comprises ablating the substrate layer with a laser.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pattern is formed on the metal film after converting the oxide monolayer into the carbonate passivation layer, and wherein the plurality of recesses are defined in the carbonate passivation layer.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the pattern defines the plurality of recesses in the carbonate passivation layer; and the plurality of recesses reveal a surface of the metal film.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein patterning the metal film comprises:
emitting a light beam from a coherent light source; receiving the light beam by a diffractive optical element, configured to shape and redirect the light beam toward the metal film, and irradiating the metal film at a plurality of positions corresponding to the pattern.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein patterning the metal film comprises:
advancing the metal film between two or more rollers, wherein: a first roller of the two of more rollers comprises a micro-needle array, the micro-needle array configured to transfer the pattern into the metal film; and a second roller of the two or more rollers supports the metal film against the first roller.

15 . A passivation system, comprising:
a plurality of rollers, configured to hold a conductive substrate under tension while the conductive substrate advances across a span between two rollers of the plurality of rollers; a first showerhead, positioned within the span and configured to provide a first gas to the conductive substrate; and a second showerhead, positioned within the span and configured to provide a second gas to the conductive substrate, wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead are aligned with a plane parallel to a plane between the two rollers, and wherein each showerhead defines a flow pattern substantially maintaining delivered gas within a region between the showerhead and the conductive substrate.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead each comprise a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in an arrangement, wherein the plurality of outlets are positioned to remove excess gas from a region between the plurality of outlets and the conductive substrate, and wherein an orientation of the plurality of outlets defines the flow pattern.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets are equal in number.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead each comprise:
a gas inlet configured to receive a gas from a gas supply system; a top plate, comprising a plurality of conduits, in communication with the gas inlet; a bottom plate, comprising the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets, wherein the plurality of inlets communicate with the plurality of conduits; and a gas outlet in communication with the plurality of outlets and configured to send the excess gas to a gas exhaust system.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead each comprise a heated baffle.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the first showerhead comprises a first plurality of showerhead units oriented along a first axis; and the second showerhead comprises a second plurality of showerhead units oriented parallel to the first axis and offset from the first showerhead by a first distance.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Sevilla Alejandro
• Lei Wei-Sheng
• Gopalakrishnannair Girishkumar
• Rangasamy Ezhiylmurugan
• Ishikawa David Masayuki
• Herle Subramanya P

Classifications

• H01M4/0404

  by coating on electrode collectors · CPC title

• H01M4/0442

  Anodisation, Oxidation (electrolytic coating by anodisation C25D9/00) · CPC title

• H01M4/382

  Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M4/0435

  Rolling or calendering · CPC title

• C23C14/562

  for coating elongated substrates · CPC title