Systems and methods for the in-line measurement of alkali metal-containing structures and alkali ion-containing structures

A method for processing an electrode comprising an alkali metal containing structure with opposed first and second edges, the method comprising:

• forming an electrode in a first processing chamber, the electrode comprising the alkali metal containing structure, the alkali metal containing structure coated in an alkali metal and comprising Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, an ion thereof, or combinations thereof;
• conveying the electrode to a metrology station in-line with the first processing chamber;
• and
• determining a thickness of the alkali metal containing structure of the electrode, the electrode disposed in the metrology station, wherein determining a thickness comprises:
• delivering radiation to and ablating the alkali metal containing structure to produce an emission of radiation from the ablated alkali metal containing structure at a first location between the opposed first and second edges and at a second location between the first location and one of the first and second edges;
• detecting an intensity of the emission of radiation using an optical detector, the optical detector further comprising a diffraction grating configured to separate the emission of radiation into element-specific wavelengths;
• analyzing the intensity of the emission of radiation, the emission of radiation corresponding to a thickness of the alkali metal containing structure;
• and
• recording a change in intensity of one or more selected wavelengths of the radiation emitted from the alkali metal over time at the first location.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a processor, perform operations for processing a pre-lithiated anode with opposed first and second edges, the operations comprising:

• forming a pre-lithiated anode in a processing chamber, the pre-lithiated anode comprising a lithium-containing structure on an anode, the lithium-containing structure coated in lithium;
• conveying the pre-lithiated anode to a metrology station in-line with the processing chamber;
• and
• determining a thickness of the lithium-containing structure of the pre-lithiated anode, the pre-lithiated anode disposed in the metrology station, wherein determining a thickness comprises:
• delivering radiation to and ablating the lithium-containing structure to produce an emission of radiation from the lithium-containing structure at a first location between the opposed first and second edges and at a second location between the first location and one of the first and second edges;
• detecting an intensity of the emission of radiation using an optical detector, the optical detector further comprising a diffraction grating configured to separate the emission of radiation into element-specific wavelengths;
• recording a change in intensity of one or more selected wavelengths of the radiation emitted from the lithium over time at the first location;
• and
• determining a first value of the thickness, the thickness corresponding to the intensity of the emission of radiation.