Properties of electrolyte and electrode films prepared by rf and dc magnetron sputtering

Increased interest in ion conducting thin films and thin-film devices is discussed. Magnetically enhanced (magnetron) sputtering is an important technique for depositing these as well as other kinds of ceramic thin films. Two advantages of magnetron over conventional diode sputtering are the increased sputtering rate, which is important in the deposition of ceramic materials, and the reduction in electron bombardment of the substrate and growing film. In this paper, the authors describe high-vacuum film growth chamber and present the results of tests of this system in fabricating films of lithium ion conducting glass electrolytes, TiS2, and vanadium oxide by reactive dc and rf magnetron sputtering. The results of combining these films into a thin film lithium battery also are discussed