Method of producing a thin film battery anode

• US 6,423,106 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Excellatron Solid State, LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Researach and Development Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Bates, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO, RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US09/543,280
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 429/231.9, 429/231.95, 429/218.1, 429/229, 429/233, 429/245, 296/231, 296/235, 296/233, 423/235, 423/239.1
• US Class Current: 29/623.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0426 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0495 Chemical alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• 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: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

A method of producing a battery cell anode is described wherein the manufacturing process of the anode commences with a sputtering target with a composition of Li₃Sn. The target is sputtered in an argon-nitrogen (Ar—N₂) gas mixture, wherein the nitrogen gas is limited to within a range of 0.5%-15% of the total volume of gas. The sputtering of the target produces a Sn:Li₃N anode layer.

Claims

1. A method of producing a battery cell anode comprising steps of:

(a) providing a Li₃Sn material;

(b) depositing the Li₃Sn material in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere to form a Sn;

Li₃N anode, the nitrogen being limited to between 0.5% and 15% of the total volume of the argon-nitrogen atmosphere.

2. A method of producing a battery cell anode comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a Li₃Sn sputtering target;

(b) sputtering the Li₃Sn target in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere to form an anode, the nitrogen being limited to between 0.5% and 15% of the total volume of the argon-nitrogen atmosphere.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the lithium alloying elements are selected from the group consisting of tin, nickel, zinc and silicon.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the element is tin and the formed anode is Sn:

Li₃N.

5. A method of producing a battery cell anode comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a sputtering target having lithium combined with zinc;

(b) sputtering the target in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere to form an anode having zinc within a lithium-nitrogen matrix wherein the formed anode is Zn;

Li₃N, the nitrogen being limited to between 0.5% and 15% of the total volume of the argon-nitrogen atmosphere.