# US 2014/0272190 A1 · Annealing Method for Thin Film Electrodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0272190 A1 - Document ID: US20140272190A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/040,597 - Filed: 2013-09-27 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Lili Huang; Richard M. Mank - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140272190A1 ## CPC - H01M 4/131: Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 4/0471: {involving thermal treatment, e.g. firing, sintering, backing particulate active material, thermal decomposition, pyrolysis} - H01M 4/139: Processes of manufacture - H01M 4/1391: of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx - H01M 4/0423: {Physical vapour deposition} - H01M 2004/021: {Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A method of annealing a thin film deposited on a substrate. According to the method, the thin film deposited on the substrate is provided. The provided thin film is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved. The spectral band of the electromagnetic radiation is selected such that the thin film is substantially absorptive to the electromagnetic radiation and the substrate is substantially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of annealing a thin film deposited on a substrate, the method comprising: providing the thin film deposited on the substrate; irradiating the thin film with electromagnetic radiation until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved, a spectral band of the electromagnetic radiation selected such that the thin film is substantially absorptive to the electromagnetic radiation and the substrate is substantially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film deposited on the substrate, includes thin film cathode material deposited on the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the thin film cathode material deposited on the substrate includes at least one of: amorphous lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2); or polycrystalline LiCoO2. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein achieving the predetermined crystal quality of the thin film includes transforming the thin film cathode material into a substantially crystalline LiCoO2 layer having a (104) oriented crystal structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation until the predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved includes one of: using an inductive heater to inductively couple medium frequency to radio-frequency radiation into the thin film until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved; using a gyrotron to irradiate the thin film with narrow bandwidth microwave radiation until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved; using an LED to irradiate the thin film with narrow bandwidth radiation until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved; or using a laser tuned to an absorption peak of the thin film to irradiate the thin film until a predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spectral band of the electromagnetic radiation further selected such that the thin film is annealed by absorbing the electromagnetic radiation through a non-thermal process. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation until the predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved includes irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation until a predetermined transmission coefficient of the electromagnetic radiation through the thin film is achieved. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the spectral band of the electromagnetic radiation further selected such that the thin film is heated by absorbing the electromagnetic radiation; and irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation until the predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved: increases a film temperature of the thin film to an annealing temperature; and limits a substrate temperature of the substrate to less than a substrate damage temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation until the predetermined crystal quality of the thin film is achieved includes irradiating the thin film with the electromagnetic radiation for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 10 A method of annealing a thin film deposited on a substrate, the method comprising: providing the thin film deposited on the substrate, the thin film having a film electrical conductivity that is greater than a substrate electrical conductivity of the substrate; passing an electrical current through the thin film to heat the thin film to an annealing temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the thin film deposited on the substrate includes at least one of: amorphous lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2); or polycrystalline LiCoO2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: maintaining the thin film at the annealing temperature, or higher, until the thin film includes a substantially crystalline LiCoO2 layer having a (104) oriented structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: maintaining the thin film at the annealing temperature, or higher, for a predetermined time period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: maintaining the thin film at the annealing temperature, or higher, until the film conductivity of the thin film substantially equals a predetermined conductivity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: thermally coupling the substrate to a heat sink. ### Claim 16 A method of annealing a cathode of a thin film battery, the method comprising: providing the thin film battery, the thin film battery including: a substrate; the cathode deposited on the substrate; an electrolyte layer formed on the cathode; and an anode formed on the electrolyte layer; heating the cathode to an annealing temperature; and limiting a temperature increase of the substrate, the electrolyte layer, and the anode during annealing of the cathode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein heating the cathode to the annealing temperature includes irradiating the cathode with electromagnetic radiation having a predetermined spectral band, the predetermined spectral band of the electromagnetic radiation selected such that: the cathode is substantially absorptive to the electromagnetic radiation; and the substrate, the electrolyte layer, and the anode are substantially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein heating the cathode to the annealing temperature includes passing an electrical current through the cathode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: maintaining the cathode at the annealing temperature, or higher, until a predetermined crystal quality of the cathode is achieved. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: thermally coupling at least one of the substrate, the electrolyte layer, or the anode to a heat sink.