Integrated lithium deposition with protective layer tool
In one implementation, an integrated processing tool for the deposition and processing of lithium metal in energy storage devices. The integrated processing tool may be a web tool. The integrated processing tool may comprises a reel-to-reel system for transporting a continuous sheet of material through the following chambers: a chamber for depositing a thin film of lithium metal on the continuous sheet of material and a chamber for depositing a protective film on the surface of the thin film of lithium metal. The chamber for depositing a thin film of lithium metal may include a PVD system, such as an electron-beam evaporator, a thin film transfer system, or a slot-die deposition system. The chamber for depositing a protective film on the lithium metal film may include a chamber for depositing an interleaf film or a chamber for depositing a lithium-ion conducting polymer on the lithium metal film.
1. An integrated processing tool for forming lithium coated negative electrodes, comprising:
a reel-to-reel system for transporting a continuous sheet of material through following processing chambers:
a chamber for depositing a thin film of lithium metal on the continuous sheet of material; and
a chamber for depositing a protective film on a surface of the thin film of lithium metal,
wherein the chamber for depositing the thin film of lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of: a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system, a thin film transfer system, a lamination system, and a slot-die deposition system, and
wherein the chamber for depositing the protective film on the thin film of lithium metal is selected from the group consisting of: a chamber for depositing an interleaf film and a chamber for depositing a lithium-ion conducting polymer on the thin film of lithium metal.
2. An integrated processing tool for forming lithium coated negative electrodes, comprising:
a first chamber for depositing a thin film of lithium metal on a continuous sheet of material, the continuous sheet of material comprising a flexible conductive substrate, the first chamber is selected from the group consisting of: a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system, a thin film transfer system, a lamination system, and a slot-die deposition system;
a second chamber for depositing a protective film on a surface of the thin film of lithium metal, the second chamber is selected from the group consisting of: a chamber for depositing an interleaf film and a chamber for depositing a lithium-ion conducting polymer on the surface of the thin film of lithium metal; and
a reel-to-reel system for transporting the continuous sheet of material through the first chamber and the second chamber.
3. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the integrated processing tool is configured to process a vertically oriented continuous sheet of material.
4. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the first chamber is configured to process both sides of the continuous sheet of material.
5. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the first chamber is the PVD system.
6. The integrated processing tool of claim 5 , wherein the PVD system comprises a thermal evaporator.
7. The integrated processing tool of claim 5 , wherein the PVD system comprises an electron beam evaporator.
8. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the first chamber is the thin film transfer system.
9. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the first chamber is the lamination system.
10. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the first chamber is the slot-die deposition system.
11. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the second chamber is the chamber for depositing the interleaf film.
12. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein the second chamber is the chamber for depositing the lithium-ion conducting polymer.
13. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein:
the first chamber is the PVD system; and
the second chamber is the chamber for depositing the interleaf film.
14. An integrated processing tool for forming lithium coated negative electrodes, comprising:
a first chamber for depositing a thin film of lithium metal on a continuous sheet of material, the first chamber selected from the group consisting of: a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system, a thin film transfer system, a lamination system, and a slot-die deposition system;
a second chamber for depositing a protective film on a surface of the thin film of lithium metal, the second chamber is selected from the group consisting of: a chamber for depositing an interleaf film and a chamber for depositing a lithium-ion conducting polymer on the surface of the thin film of lithium metal; and
a reel-to-reel system for transporting the continuous sheet of material through the first chamber and the second chamber, the reel-to-reel system comprising:
a take-up reel; and
a feed reel.
15. The integrated processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the continuous sheet of material is a flexible conductive substrate.
16. The integrated processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the first chamber is configured to process both sides of the continuous sheet of material.
17. The integrated processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the first chamber is the PVD system.
18. The integrated processing tool of claim 2 , wherein:
the first chamber is the PVD system; and
the second chamber is the chamber for depositing the lithium-ion conducting polymer.
19. The integrated processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the PVD system comprises a thermal evaporator or an electron beam evaporator.
20. The integrated processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the integrated processing tool is configured to process a vertically oriented continuous sheet of material.