Electrochromic lithium nickel oxide by pulsed laser deposition and sputtering

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/446407· OSTI ID:446407

Rubin, M; Wen, S J; Richardson, T; Kerr, J; Rottkay, K von; Slack, J

Thin films of lithium nickel oxide were deposited by sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from targets of pressed LiNiO{sub 2} powder. The composition and structure of these films were analyzed using a variety of techniques, such as nuclear-reaction analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), x-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Crystalline structure, surface morphology and chemical composition of Li{sub x}Ni{sub 1{minus}x}O thin films depend strongly on deposition oxygen pressure, temperature as well as substrate-target distance. The films produced at temperatures lower than 600 C spontaneously absorb CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O at their surface once they are exposed to the air. The films deposited at 600 C proved to be stable in air over a long period. Even at room temperature the PLD films are denser and more stable than sputtered films. RBS determined the composition of the best films to be Li{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}O deposited by PLD at 60 mTorr O{sub 2} pressure. Electrochemical tests show that the films exhibit excellent reversibility in the range 1.0 V to 3.4 V versus lithium. Electrochemical formatting which is used to develop electrochromism in other films is not needed for the stoichiometric films. The optical transmission range is almost 70% at 550 nm for 150-nm thick films. Devices made from these films were analyzed using novel reference electrodes and by disassembly after cycling.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 446407
• Report Number(s): LBNL--39411; CONF-9609325--1; ON: DE97003403
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTROCHROMISM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LITHIUM OXIDES
NICKEL OXIDES
PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION