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Sustained self-sputtering of lithium for lithium physical vapor deposition

  • US 10,443,121 B2
  • Filed: 04/24/2014
  • Issued: 10/15/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of sustained self-sputtering of lithium in a sputtering station having a lithium metal target in a chamber, the method comprising:

  • flowing an inert gas to the chamber;

    initiating a lithium sputtering reaction in the sputtering station by igniting an initial plasma comprising a majority fraction of inert gas ions; and

    inducing a sustained lithium self-sputtering reaction by reducing the flow of the inert gas to the sputtering station under conditions that provide a sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma comprising a majority fraction of lithium ions having a mean free path of between 6.1 cm and 61 cm, wherein the conditions include applying a voltage between an anode and the lithium metal target that is a cathode that is between 200 V and 500 V.

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