ELECTRODE FOR HIGH PEFORMANCE Li-ION BATTERIES

• US 20110200881A1
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Bacharach, Robert Z., Wang, Connie P., Lopatin, Sergey D.
• Application Number:
  US13/023,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20110200881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/231.1
• 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 4/0421 involving vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0423 Physical vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0428 Chemical vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• 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 4/5825 Oxygenated metallic salts or polyanionic structures, e.g. borates, phosphates, silicates, olivines
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A method for forming an electrode for a battery is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate. A plurality of clusters of lithium containing compound is formed over the substrate, with each cluster having a plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound that exhibit nanocrystalline structure. The plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound are transformed to exhibit cation ordering structure. In some embodiments, a protective layer is disposed over the cluster of Li containing compound. An electrode for a battery and a system for processing the substrate are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating an electrode for a battery, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a plurality of clusters of lithium containing compound over the substrate, with each cluster having a plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound exhibiting nanocrystalline phase structure; and

transforming the plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound to exhibit cation ordering structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming clusters of lithium containing compound includes depositing lithium containing compound by using one or more of PVD, CVD, spray CVD, sol-gel process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound further includes annealing the substrate with the lithium containing compound.

4. The method of claim 1, further including disposing a protective layer over the clusters of lithium containing compound.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a Cu or Cu alloy.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the substrate acts as a collector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a cathode for a lithium ion based secondary battery.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate including a plurality of dendritic features and the plurality of clusters of lithium containing compound formed over the plurality of dendritic features.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline structure is a layered oxide structure with a hexagonal phase structure.

10. An electrode for a battery, including:

a substrate;

clusters of lithium containing compound formed over the substrate, with each cluster having a plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound that exhibit nanocrystalline phase structure; and

the plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound transformed to exhibit cation ordering structure.

11. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the plurality of sub-structures are annealed to improve cation ordering.

12. The electrode of claim 11, wherein a protective layer is disposed over the clusters of lithium containing compound.

13. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the substrate is a Cu or Cu alloy.

14. The electrode of claim 12, wherein the substrate acts as a collector.

15. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the electrode is configured as a cathode for a battery.

16. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the electrode is configured as an anode for a battery.

17. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the substrate including a plurality of dendritic features and the plurality of clusters of lithium containing compound formed over the plurality of dendritic features.

18. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the nanocrystalline structure is a layered oxide structure with a hexagonal phase structure.

19. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the battery includes an anode and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode.

20. The electrode of claim 10, wherein the anode includes:

a substrate;

clusters of lithium containing compound formed over the substrate, with each cluster having a plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound that exhibit nanocrystalline phase structure; and

the plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound transformed to exhibit cation ordering structure.

21. A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first process chamber configured to form a plurality of lithium containing compound over the substrate, with each cluster having a plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound that exhibit nanocrystalline phase structure; and

a second process chamber configured to transform the plurality of sub-structures of lithium containing compound so as to exhibit cation ordering structure.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the plurality of sub-structures are annealed in the second chamber, to improve cation ordering.

23. The system of claim 21, further including a third process chamber configured to dispose a protective layer over the clusters of lithium containing compound.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the substrate is a Cu, or Cu alloy.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the substrate including a plurality of dendritic features and the plurality of clusters of lithium containing compound are formed over the plurality of dendritic features.