Composite films as high performance anode materials in thin film lithium-ion batteries

In order to utilize silicon (Si) as an anode material for thin film lithium-ion batteries, the magnetron sputtering technology is used to deposit copper doped tin oxide (SnCuxOy) and lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) on Si substrates to obtain composite films. The material characterization indicates that the SnCuxOy/LiPON film is homogeneously deposited with nanoscale pores and particles, and it can activate Si substrates largely, alleviate the volumetric expansion effectively and facilitate an excellent electrochemical performance. This paper provides guidance to achieve activity and stability in developing high performance Si anode materials for advanced secondary batteries.