METHOD FOR HIGH VOLUME MANUFACTURE OF ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS USING PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

• US 20090325063A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sakti3, Inc
• Original Assignee: Sakti3, Inc
• Inventors: Wang, Chia-Wei, Sastry, Ann Marie, Albano, Fabio
• Granted Patent: US 9,249,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/188
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/562 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0562 Solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0587 of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0421 involving vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/139 Processes of manufacture
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses and methods for fabricating electrochemical cells. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a single chamber configurable to deposit different materials on a substrate spooled between two reels. In one embodiment, the substrate is moved in the same direction around the reels, with conditions within the chamber periodically changed to result in the continuous build-up of deposited material over time. Another embodiment employs alternating a direction of movement of the substrate around the reels, with conditions in the chamber differing with each change in direction to result in the sequential build-up of deposited material over time. The chamber is equipped with different sources of energy and materials to allow the deposition of the different layers of the electrochemical cell.

Claims

1. An apparatus for deposition of electrochemical cells, the apparatus comprising:

a deposition chamber in fluid communication with a first material source and with a second material source;

a first gate in fluid communication with the deposition chamber and configured to be maintained under gas and pressure conditions similar to conditions within the deposition chamber;

a second gate in fluid communication with the deposition chamber and configured to be maintained under gas and pressure conditions similar to conditions within the deposition chamber;

a substrate positioned between two reels and extending through the first gate, the deposition chamber, and the second gate; and

a controller configured to rotate the reels in concert to move the substrate in a direction through the deposition chamber while material from the material source is deposited on the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum source in fluid communication with the deposition chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a radiation source in energetic communication with the deposition chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a thermal source in energetic communication with the deposition chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an optical source in energetic communication with the deposition chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to rotate the reels in alternating directions and to instruct the deposition chamber to deposit on the substrate an electrode from the first material source when the substrate is moved in a first direction, and then to deposit on the electrode an electrolyte from the second material source when the substrate is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the controller is configured to deposit a plurality of discrete electrode portions on the substrate, the plurality of discrete electrode portions separated by an increasing distance accommodating a location of an expected sharp turn of the substrate when assembled in a wound configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to rotate the reels in a constant direction, and to instruct the deposition chamber to deposit on the substrate an electrode from the first material source during a first time period, and then to deposit on the electrode an electrolyte from the second material source during a second time period subsequent to the first time period.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to deposit a plurality of discrete electrode portions on the substrate, the plurality of discrete electrode portions separated by an increasing distance accommodating an expected location of a sharp turn of the substrate when assembled in a wound configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first material source allows deposition of an anode or a cathode, and the second material source allows deposition of an electrolyte.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a third material source which allows deposition of the other of the anode or the cathode.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a fourth material source which allows deposition of a current collector.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chamber is configured to perform deposition utilizing one or a combination of the methods selected from the group consisting of evaporation, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser ablation, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, spray coating or plasma spraying.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chamber is configured to deposit nanowire structures, nanotube structures, or nanobelt structures, or a combination of those structures.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chamber is configured to deposit Group III-IV semiconductor nanowires, zinc (Zn) or zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires, nanobelts of semiconducting oxides of zinc, tin, indium, cadmium, and gallium), carbon nanotubes, or carbon meso-structures.

16. A process for forming an electrochemical cell, the process comprising:

moving a substrate spooled between two reels in a first direction through a deposition chamber;

depositing an anode or a cathode layer on the substrate in the chamber under a first set of deposition conditions;

moving the anode or cathode layer back into the chamber;

depositing an electrolyte layer over the anode or cathode layer within the chamber under a second set of deposition condition;

moving the electrolyte layer back into the chamber; and

depositing an other of the anode or cathode layer over the electrolyte layer within the chamber under a third set of deposition conditions, to form the electrochemical cell.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein depositing the anode or cathode layer, the electrolyte layer, or the other of the anode or cathode layer, is performed utilizing one or a combination of the methods selected from the group consisting of evaporation, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser ablation, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, spray coating or plasma spraying.

18. The process of claim 16 wherein the cathode or anode layer is moved into the chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the electrolyte layer is moved into the chamber in the first direction.

19. The process of claim 16 wherein the cathode or anode layer and the electrolyte layer are moved into the chamber in the first direction by rotation of the substrate around the reels.

20. The process of claim 16 wherein the electrolyte layer is deposited over the anode layer, and the cathode layer is deposited over the electrolyte layer.

21. The process of claim 16 wherein the electrolyte layer is deposited over the cathode layer, and the anode layer is deposited over the electrolyte layer.

22. The process of claim 16 wherein the cathode or anode layer is deposited over a current collection layer on the substrate.

23. The process of claim 22 further comprising depositing a current collection layer on the substrate prior to depositing the cathode or the anode layer.

24. The process of claim 16 wherein deposition of the layers is repeated on a fresh portion of the substrate to form a plurality of discrete electrochemical cells.

25. The process of claim 16 wherein deposition of the layers is repeated on an existing electrochemical cell to form a plurality of stacked electrochemical cells.

26. The process of claim 16 wherein depositing the anode or cathode layer comprises depositing nanowire structures, nanotube structures, or nanobelt structures, or a combination of those structures.

27. The process of claim 16 wherein depositing the anode layer, the cathode layer, or the electrolyte layer comprises depositing Group III-IV semiconductor nanowires, zinc (Zn) or zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires, nanobelts of semiconducting oxides of zinc, tin, indium, cadmium, and gallium), carbon nanotubes, or carbon meso-structures.

28. An apparatus for forming an electrochemical cell, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate spooled between two reels through a deposition chamber;

a controller in electronic communication with the reels and the deposition chamber; and

a computer-readable storage medium in electronic communication with the controller, the computer readable storage medium having stored thereon code directing the controller to,

move a substrate through the deposition chamber in a first direction;

instruct the deposition chamber to deposit an anode or a cathode layer on the substrate in the chamber under a first set of deposition conditions;

instruct the reels to move the anode or cathode layer back into the chamber;

instruct the deposition chamber to deposit an electrolyte layer over the anode or cathode layer within the chamber under a second set of deposition condition;

instruct the reels to move the electrolyte layer back into the chamber; and

instruct the deposition chamber to deposit an other of the anode or cathode layer over the electrolyte layer within the chamber under a third set of deposition conditions, to form the electrochemical cell.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the code stored on the computer-readable storage medium:

directs the controller to instruct the reels to move the cathode or anode layer into the chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and

directs the controller to instruct the reels to move the electrolyte layer into the chamber in the first direction.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the code stored on the computer-readable storage medium directs the controller to instruct the reels to move the cathode or anode layer and the electrolyte layer into the chamber in the first direction by rotation of the substrate around the reels.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the code is configured to direct the controller to instruct the deposition chamber to repeat deposition of the layers on a fresh portion of the substrate to form a plurality of discrete electrochemical cells.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the code is configured to direct the controller to instruct the substrate heating elements to heat the substrate at temperatures suitable (e.g. ≦

800°

C.) to induce phase transformation, re-crystallization or diffusion and growth.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the code is configured to direct the controller to instruct the deposition chamber to repeat deposition of the layers on an existing electrochemical cell to form plurality of stacked electrochemical cells.

34. A deposition apparatus for high volume deposition of solid state, thin-film electrochemical cells, said apparatus comprising:

a first housing that defines an enclosed supply chamber;

a roll conveyor, located within the supply chamber, for conveying the substrate to the deposition chamber and thence to the evacuation chamber;

a first gate connecting a first supply chamber and the deposition chamber maintaining the same gas atmosphere and the same vacuum pressure as the deposition chamber to allow continuous processing;

a single vacuum deposition chamber to deposit multiple battery materials, in the form of thin-films;

a second gate connecting the deposition chamber to an evacuation chamber, maintaining the same gas atmosphere and the same vacuum pressure as the deposition chamber to allow continuous processing; and

a second housing that defines an enclosed evacuation chamber, connected in series with the deposition chamber.

35. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 further comprising:

a vacuum source to draw a vacuum atmosphere within the deposition chamber;

an evaporation source to deposit battery cathode material onto the substrate material;

a first evaporation source to deposit electrolyte material onto the battery cathode material;

a second evaporation source to deposit battery anode material onto the electrolyte material layer;

a gas supply valve, connected to the deposition chamber; and

a valve to evacuate and vent the chamber after deposition is completed or between sequential deposition steps.

36. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 wherein the deposition chamber is configured to deposit materials using microwave hydrothermal synthesis to create nanoparticles of at least one of the shapes selected from the group consisting of spheres, nanocubes, pseudocubes, ellipsoids, spindles, nanosheets, nanorings, nanospheres, nanospindles, dots, rods, wires, arrays, tubes, nanotubes, belts, disks, rings, cubes, mesopores, dendrites, propellers, flowers, hollow interiors, hybrids of the listed structures and other complex superstructures.

37. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 wherein the deposition chamber is configured to deposit layers to create distinct or indistinct interfaces.

38. The deposition apparatus of claim 37 wherein the electrolyte and a separator could be made of a same material, comprising the same phase.

39. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 wherein the supply and evacuation chambers are reversible to allow the deposition chamber to deposit a stack of solid state batteries onto the substrate, such that when the roll of substrate material has undergone one pass through the deposition chamber, the direction of said substrate can be reversed and said substrate can undergo another pass through the deposition chamber.

40. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 wherein the chamber is configured to deposit particles synthesized using microwave exposure to induce at least one of the mechanisms selected from the group consisting of nucleation, aggregation, recrystallization and dissolution-recrystallization.

41. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 further including at least one evaporation source to deposit a top conductive metal layer serving as current collector on top of the second battery electrode layer.

42. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 further including at least two evaporation sources configured to deposit two conductive metal layers serving as current collectors, between a cathode of a first deposited cell and an anode of a next deposited cell.

43. The deposition apparatus of claim 34 wherein the deposition chamber is configured to deposit materials utilizing a process selected from the group consisting of evaporation, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser ablation, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, spray coating or plasma spraying.

44. A method for depositing material on a substrate comprising:

passing materials through evaporation sources for heating to provide a vapor using at least one method selected from the group consisting of evaporation, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering, microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser ablation, spray deposition, spray pyrolysis, spray coating or plasma spraying;

passing oxygen gas or other oxidizing species into the evaporation chamber to mix with the material vapor and create an oxide to be deposited;

passing nitrogen gas or other species into the evaporation chamber to mix with the material vapor and create a nitrate to be deposited; and

conveying a substrate adjacent the evaporation sources for deposition of the vapor onto the substrate.

45. A composition comprising:

a substrate material configured to be wound between reels, the substrate material comprising copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), stainless steel, or other suitable conductive alloy in the form of a thin foil and bearing, a first electrode material comprising at least one of lithium metal (Li), lithium titanium oxide (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂), graphite (C), or meso-carbon structures;

an electrolyte material overlying the first electrode material and comprising at least one of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LIPON) or a lithium salt mixed with poly-ethylene oxide (PEO), poly-vinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or a combination of PEO and PVDF; and

a second electrode material overlying the electrolyte material and comprising at least one of a layered metal oxide material, a layered spinel material, or a layered olivine material.

46. The composition of claim 45 wherein the meso-carbon structures comprise at least one of microbeads or other microstructures.

47. The composition of claim 45 wherein the lithium salt comprises at least one of LiClO4 or LiPF₆.

48. The composition of claim 45 wherein the layered oxide material comprises LiCoO₂, the layered spinel material comprises LiMn₂O₄, or the layered olivine material comprises LiFePO₄, Li(N_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3)O₂, LiNi_xCo_yAl_(1-x-y)O₂ (NCA), or LiNi_xMn_yCo_(1-x-y)O₂ (NCM).

49. The composition of claim 45 wherein the first electrode material, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode material are formed as plurality of discrete cells on the substrate.

50. The composition of claim 45 further comprising an electrically conducting lead connecting the plurality of discrete cells.

51. The composition of claim 45 wherein the first electrode material, the electrolyte material, and the second electrode material are formed as part of a vertical stack of a plurality of cells.