Li-Metal Oxides (e.g. LiMn₂O₄ ) as model systems for electrodes in Li-ion-batteries

LiMn₂O₄ is a promising material for thin film electrodes in Li-batteries because it is non-toxic and relatively cheap. The deposition of thin films on flat (or crystalline) substrates allows to study the electrochemical processes of the material and the influence of processing parameters such as background pressure and substrate temperature on specific properties of the film such as electrochemical performance, crystallinity and stoichiometry. The flat films can be used for fundamental studies of solid-electrolyte interphase formation and Li-insertion-deinsertion in the Li-metal oxide as function of the film properties.

Deposition of LiMn₂O₄ leaves only a very small window for depositing films with an electrochemical activity in the desired range.

The optimum conditions are:
p_backgrd=0.2mbar, T_sub=500°C and d_target/sub=3-4cm.

The major problem for the deposition of the Li-metal oxide films is the Li content.