Microwave Rapid Thermal Processing of Electrochemical Devices

• US 20130266741A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Jiang, Chong, Kwak, Byung-Sung Leo, Song, Daoying
• Granted Patent: US 9,136,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/559
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/08 Oxides C23C14/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/24 Vacuum evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3485 using pulsed power to the target
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5806 Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/005 Photoelectrochemical storage cells light sensitive devices H01G9/20, semiconductors sensitive to light H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0423 Physical vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0426 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1391 of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Microwave radiation may be applied to electrochemical devices for rapid thermal processing (RTP) (including annealing, crystallizing, densifying, forming, etc.) of individual layers of the electrochemical devices, as well as device stacks, including bulk and thin film batteries and thin film electrochromic devices. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical device may comprise: depositing a layer of the electrochemical device over a substrate; and microwave annealing the layer, wherein the microwave annealing includes selecting annealing conditions with preferential microwave energy absorption in the layer. An apparatus for forming an electrochemical device may comprise: a first system to deposit an electrochemical device layer over a substrate; and a second system to microwave anneal the layer, wherein the second system is configured to provide preferential microwave energy absorption in the device layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical device comprising:

depositing a layer of said electrochemical device over a substrate; and

microwave annealing said layer, wherein said microwave annealing includes selecting annealing conditions with preferential microwave energy absorption in said layer.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical device is a thin film battery.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical device is an electrochromic device.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein said electrochemical device is a thick film battery.

5. The method as in claim 2, wherein said layer is a cathode layer and said microwave annealing crystallizes said cathode layer, and wherein said cathode layer is deposited on a cathode current collector, said cathode current collector being deposited on said substrate.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said cathode layer is a LiCoO₂ layer.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein said LiCoO₂ layer is deposited by physical vapor deposition.

8. The method as in claim 3, wherein said layer is an upper transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer and said microwave annealing improves optical transmittance and electrical conductivity of said upper TCO layer, and wherein said upper TCO layer is deposited on an electrochromic device stack including a lower TCO layer, a cathode, a solid state electrolyte and an anode.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein said upper TCO layer is an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein said ITO layer is sputter deposited.

11. The method as in claim 3, wherein said layer is an electrode including nickel oxide and said microwave annealing forms said electrode.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein said electrode is deposited on an electrochromic device stack including a lower TCO layer, a cathode and a solid state electrolyte.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein said electrode is deposited on a lower TCO layer.

14. The method as in claim 4, wherein said thick film battery is a lithium ion battery, said layer is a lithium ion cathode deposited as a slurry and said microwave annealing dries and forms said cathode.

15. An apparatus for forming an electrochemical device, comprising:

a first system to deposit an electrochemical device layer over a substrate; and

a second system to microwave anneal said device layer, wherein said second system is configured to provide preferential microwave energy absorption in said layer.

16. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said apparatus is a cluster tool apparatus.

17. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said apparatus is an in-line tool apparatus.

18. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said first system and said second system are integrated into a single tool.

19. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said electrochemical device is a thin film battery, said first system is a system configured to deposit a cathode layer on a cathode current collector formed on a substrate, and said second system is configured to crystallize said cathode layer.

20. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said electrochemical device is an electrochromic device, said first system is a system configured to deposit an upper transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer on an electrochromic device stack on said substrate, said stack including a lower TCO layer, a cathode, a solid state electrolyte and an anode and said second system is configured to improve the optical transmittance and electrical conductivity of said upper TCO layer.

21. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said electrochemical device is an electrochromic device, said first system is a system configured to deposit a nickel oxide electrode on an electrochromic device stack on said substrate, said stack including a lower TCO layer, an electrode and a solid state electrolyte formed on said substrate and said second system is configured to form said nickel oxide electrode, wherein said nickel oxide electrode is an electrode including nickel oxide.

22. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said electrochemical device is an electrochromic device, said first system is a system configured to deposit a nickel oxide electrode on an electrochromic device stack on said substrate, said stack including a lower TCO layer and said second system is configured to form said nickel oxide electrode, wherein said nickel oxide electrode is an electrode including nickel oxide.

23. The apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said electrochemical device is a lithium ion battery, said first system is a system configured to deposit a layer of cathode material as a slurry and said second system is configured to dry and form said cathode material.