Anode structure for solid-state lithium-based thin-film battery

A method of forming a solid-state lithium-based battery, the method comprising:

• forming a patterned sacrificial material on a surface of a bottom electrode, wherein the patterned sacrificial material contains an opening that physically exposes a portion of the surface of the bottom electrode;
• forming a lithiated cathode material layer on the patterned sacrificial material and on the physically exposed portion of the surface of the bottom electrode in the opening, wherein the lithiated cathode material layer formed on the patterned sacrificial material is vertically offset, and disjoined from, the lithiated cathode material layer formed on the bottom electrode;
• forming a lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer on the lithiated cathode material layer, wherein the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer formed on the lithiated cathode material layer that is formed on the patterned sacrificial material is vertically offset, and disjoined from, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer formed on the lithiated cathode material that is formed on the bottom electrode;
• forming a lithium nucleation enhancement liner composed of a titanium-zirconium-molybdenum alloy (TZM) on the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, wherein the lithium nucleation enhancement liner formed on the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer that is formed over the patterned sacrificial material is vertically offset, and disjoined from, lithium nucleation enhancement liner formed on the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer that is formed over the bottom electrode;
• forming a top electrode on the lithium nucleation enhancement liner, wherein the top electrode formed on the lithium nucleation enhancement liner that is formed over the patterned sacrificial material is vertically offset, and disjoined from, the top electrode formed on the lithium nucleation enhancement liner that is formed over the bottom electrode;
• and
• performing a lift-off process, only after the forming of the top electrode, to remove the patterned sacrificial material and each of the lithiated cathode material layer, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, the lithium nucleation enhancement liner and the top electrode formed above the patterned sacrificial material from the bottom electrode, while maintaining a material stack on the physically exposed portion of the surface of the bottom electrode, wherein the material stack includes a remaining portion of each of the lithiated cathode material layer, the lithium-based solid-state electrolyte layer, the lithium nucleation enhancement liner and the top electrode.