# US 8,464,419 B2 · Methods of and factories for thin-film battery manufacturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,419 B2 - Document ID: US8464419B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/882,002 - Filed: 2010-09-14 - Published: 2011-06-02 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-22 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Byung-Sung Kwak; Stefan Bangert; Dieter Haas; Omkaram Nalamasu - Inventors: Byung-Sung Kwak; Stefan Bangert; Dieter Haas; Omkaram Nalamasu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464419B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/0404: {Machines for assembling batteries} - H01M 4/621: {Binders} - H01M 6/40: Printed batteries {, e.g. thin film batteries} - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/0585: of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/52: Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus - 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 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Methods of and factories for thin-film battery manufacturing are described. A method includes operations for fabricating a thin-film battery. A factory includes one or more tool sets for fabricating a thin-film battery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A factory layout for lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing, the factory layout comprising: a first process tool for depositing metal or semiconductor layers; a second process tool for depositing active layers, the second process tool comprising: a first cluster tool for deposition of cathode layers; a second cluster tool for deposition of electrolyte layers; and a lithium evaporation tool comprising one or more gloveboxes coupling the lithium evaporation tool to the first cluster tool and to the second cluster tool; a third process tool for rapid thermal processing; a fourth process tool for depositing dielectric layers; a fifth process tool for performing reactive ion etching; and a sixth process tool for depositing specialty layers for thin-film batteries. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The factory layout of claim 1, wherein the sixth process tool is configured for deposition of both a lithium or lithium-containing layer and a protective coating in the same process tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The factory layout of claim 2, wherein the lithium layer is a lithium anode layer and the protective coating is a polymer layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The factory layout of claim 1, wherein the first process tool comprises a lithium chamber different from the lithium evaporation tool of the second process tool. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The factory layout of claim 4, wherein the sixth process tool is configured for deposition of a polymer layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The factory layout of claim 5, further comprising: a seventh process tool set configured for lithography exposure and resist strip operations; an eighth process tool set configured for etching and cleaning operations; and a ninth process tool configured for laser scribing of wafers or substrates upon which thin-film batteries are fabricated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The factory layout of claim 1, wherein the lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing comprises a masked integration scheme. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The factory layout of claim 1, wherein the lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing comprises a mask-less integration scheme. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The factory layout of claim 1, wherein the lithium evaporation tool is positioned between the first cluster tool and the second cluster tool, a first of the one or more gloveboxes couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool, and a second of the one or more gloveboxes couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool. ### Claim 10 A factory layout for lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing, the factory layout comprising: a first process tool for depositing metal or semiconductor layers; a second process tool for depositing active layers, the second process tool comprising: a first cluster tool for deposition of cathode layers; a second cluster tool for deposition of electrolyte layers; and a lithium evaporation tool positioned between the first cluster tool and the second cluster tool, wherein a first of glovebox couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool, and a second glovebox couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool; a third process tool for rapid thermal processing; a fourth process tool for depositing dielectric layers; a fifth process tool for performing reactive ion etching; and a sixth process tool for depositing specialty layers for thin-film batteries. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The factory layout of claim 10, wherein the sixth process tool is configured for deposition of both a lithium or lithium-containing layer and a protective coating in the same process tool. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The factory layout of claim 11, wherein the lithium layer is a lithium anode layer and the protective coating is a polymer layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The factory layout of claim 10, wherein the first process tool comprises a lithium chamber different from the lithium evaporation tool of the second process tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The factory layout of claim 13, wherein the sixth process tool is configured for deposition of a polymer layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The factory layout of claim 14, further comprising: a seventh process tool set configured for lithography exposure and resist strip operations; an eighth process tool set configured for etching and cleaning operations; and a ninth process tool configured for laser scribing of wafers or substrates upon which thin-film batteries are fabricated. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The factory layout of claim 10, wherein the lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing comprises a masked integration scheme. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The factory layout of claim 10, wherein the lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing comprises a mask-less integration scheme. ### Claim 18 A process tool for lithium-based thin-film battery manufacturing, the process tool comprising: a first cluster tool for deposition of cathode layers; a second cluster tool for deposition of electrolyte layers; and a lithium evaporation tool comprising one or more gloveboxes coupling the lithium evaporation tool to the first cluster tool and to the second cluster tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process tool of claim 18, wherein the lithium evaporation tool is positioned between the first cluster tool and the second cluster tool, a first of the one or more gloveboxes couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool, and a second of the one or more gloveboxes couples the first cluster tool to the lithium evaporation tool.