# US 2023/0056566 A1 · Dielectric coated lithium metal anode

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- Number: US 2023/0056566 A1
- Document ID: US20230056566A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/976,420
- Filed: 2022-10-28
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-28
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Subramanya P. HERLE; David Masayuki ISHIKAWA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056566A1

## CPC

- H01M 4/1395: of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
- C23C 14/0021: {Reactive sputtering or evaporation}
- C23C 14/08: Oxides (C23C14/10 takes precedence)
- C23C 14/14: Metallic material, boron or silicon
- C23C 14/16: on metallic substrates or on substrates of boron or silicon
- C23C 14/24: Vacuum evaporation
- C23C 14/30: by electron bombardment
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 14/562: {for coating elongated substrates}
- C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)}
- H01M 4/0404: {by coating on electrode collectors}
- H01M 4/0423: {Physical vapour deposition}
- H01M 4/0426: {Sputtering}
- H01M 4/0428: {Chemical vapour deposition}
- H01M 4/134: Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
- H01M 4/366: {as layered products}
- H01M 4/382: {Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence)}
- H01M 4/62: Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
- H01M 4/628: {Inhibitors, e.g. gassing inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors}
- H01M 4/661: {Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings (H01M4/669 take precedence)}
- H01M 2004/027: {Negative electrodes}
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Methods for forming anode structures are provided and include transferring a flexible substrate a first deposition chamber arranged downstream from a first spool chamber, the first deposition chamber containing a first coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a first plurality of deposition units, and guiding the flexible substrate past the first plurality of deposition units while depositing a lithium metal film on the flexible substrate via the first plurality of deposition units. The method also includes transferring the flexible substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber, the second deposition chamber containing a second coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a second deposition unit containing a crucible capable of depositing ceramic on the lithium metal film, and guiding the flexible substrate past the crucible while depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film via the evaporation crucible.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
transferring a flexible substrate from a storage spool in a first spool chamber to a first deposition chamber arranged downstream from the first spool chamber, the first deposition chamber comprising a first coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a first plurality of deposition units;
guiding the flexible substrate past the first plurality of deposition units while depositing a lithium metal film on the flexible substrate via the first plurality of deposition units;
transferring the flexible substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber, the second deposition chamber comprising a second coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a second deposition unit comprising an evaporation crucible capable of depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film; and
guiding the flexible substrate past the evaporation crucible while depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film via the evaporation crucible.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transferring the flexible substrate from the second deposition chamber to a second spool chamber; and
winding the flexible substrate on a second spool positioned in the second deposition chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising transferring the flexible substrate through a connection chamber arranged downstream from the first deposition chamber and upstream from the second deposition chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of deposition units comprises evaporation units capable of depositing the lithium metal film on the flexible substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the evaporation units are selected from a thermal evaporation unit, an electron-beam evaporation unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the second deposition unit comprises a plurality of evaporation crucibles aligned in a first line perpendicular to a travel direction of the flexible substrate and capable of generating a cloud of evaporated material to be deposited on the flexible substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the second deposition unit further comprises a gas supply pipe capable of supplying a gas supply directed into the cloud of evaporated material and positioned between the plurality of evaporation crucibles and the second coating drum.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of deposition units comprises sputter deposition units capable of depositing the lithium metal film on the flexible substrate.

### Claim 9

A method, comprising:
transferring a flexible substrate from a storage spool in a first spool chamber to a first deposition chamber arranged downstream from the first spool chamber, the first deposition chamber comprising a first coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a first plurality of deposition units, wherein the flexible substrate comprises an anode film;
guiding the flexible substrate past the first plurality of deposition units while depositing a lithium metal film on the anode film via the first plurality of deposition units;
transferring the flexible substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber through a connection chamber, the second deposition chamber comprising a second coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a second deposition unit comprising an evaporation crucible; and
guiding the flexible substrate past the evaporation crucible while depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film via the evaporation crucible.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the evaporation units are selected from a thermal evaporation unit, an electron-beam evaporation unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of any of claim 10, wherein the flexible substrate comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium, stainless steel, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of any of claim 11, wherein the ceramic protective film is selected from porous aluminum oxide, porous-ZrO2, porous-HfO2, porous-SiO2, porous-MgO, porous-TiO2, porous-Ta2O5, porous-Nb2O5, porous-LiAlO2, porous-BaTiO3, ion-conducting garnet, anti-ion-conducting perovskites, porous glass dielectric, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
transferring a flexible substrate from a storage spool in a first spool chamber to a first deposition chamber arranged downstream from the first spool chamber, the first deposition chamber comprising a first coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a first plurality of deposition units;
guiding the flexible substrate past the first plurality of deposition units while depositing a lithium metal film on the flexible substrate via the first plurality of deposition units;
transferring the flexible substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber, the second deposition chamber comprising a second coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a second deposition unit capable of depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film; and
guiding the flexible substrate past the second deposition unit while depositing the ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
transferring the flexible substrate from the second deposition chamber to a second spool chamber; and
winding the flexible substrate on a second spool positioned in the second deposition chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising transferring the flexible substrate through a connection chamber arranged downstream from the first deposition chamber and upstream from the second deposition chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of deposition units comprises evaporation units capable of depositing the lithium metal film on the flexible substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the evaporation units are selected from a thermal evaporation unit, an electron-beam evaporation unit, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the second deposition unit comprises a plurality of evaporation crucibles aligned in a first line perpendicular to a travel direction of the flexible substrate and capable of generating a cloud of evaporated material to be deposited on the flexible substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the second deposition unit further comprises a gas supply pipe capable of supplying a gas supply directed into the cloud of evaporated material and positioned between the plurality of evaporation crucibles and the second coating drum.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of deposition units comprises sputter deposition units capable of depositing the lithium metal film on the flexible substrate.