Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and method of manufacturing negative electrode thereof

1. A method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode capable of storing and releasing lithium ions, the method comprising:

A) fabricating the negative electrode by depositing a negative electrode active material on a current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material is formed on the current collector as a plurality of negative electrode active material blocks having a columnar structure;

B) heat-treating the negative electrode at a temperature sufficient for achieving a high cycle retention ratio; and

C) imparting lithium to the negative electrode active material after step B,

wherein silicon is deposited by a vacuum film-forming method and oxygen is introduced during the deposition, so that a silicon-containing oxide is deposited on the current collector as the negative electrode active material, in step A, and

step B is performed in a range of 300° C. to 600° C. inclusive, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

2. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode active material blocks are formed to be inclined with respect to a direction of a thickness of the current collector.

3. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode active material blocks are formed into a wave shape in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the current collector on which the negative electrode active material blocks are to be formed, in step A.

4. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein lithium is melted in a vacuum atmosphere and evaporated onto a surface of the negative electrode in step C.

5. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein a lithium foil is faced and joined to the negative electrode in a non-oxidizing atmosphere so that lithium is transferred onto the negative electrode in step C.

6. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein steps A and B are performed in a same chamber.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein steps B and C are performed in a same chamber.

8. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode active material is formed into a thin film in step A.

9. The method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of lithium to be imparted in step C corresponds to an amount of compensation for an irreversible capacity of the negative electrode active material.