Applied Materials, Inc.

Ontrak Systems, Inc.

Hooman Bolandi

Victor Pebenito

Karl M Brown

Robert Z Bachrach

Lu Yang

Connie P Wang

Douglas W Young

Charles Daniel Schaper

Tetsuya Ishikawa

Liang-Yuh Chen

Quanyuan Shang

Donald J K Olgado

Mahendra Christopher Orilall

Josef Thomas Hoog

Raman Talwar

Sergey D Lopatin

Avi Tepman

Fei C Wang

Donald J Olgado

Michael C Kutney

Siqing Lu

David E Weldon

Miaojun Wang

Joseph G Gordon

Dongli Zeng

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to lithium-ion batteries, and more specifically, to batteries having integrated separators and methods of fabricating such batteries. In one embodiment, a lithium-ion battery having an electrode structure is provided. The lithium-ion battery comprises an anode stack, a cathode stack, and a porous electrospun polymer separator comprising a nano-fiber backbone structure. The anode stack comprises an anodic current collector and an anode structure formed over a first surface of the anodic current collector. The cathode stack comprises a cathodic current collector and a cathode structure formed over a first surface of the cathodic current collector. The porous electrospun polymer separator is positioned between the anode structure and the cathode structure.

Electrospinning for integrated separator for lithium-ion batteries

A method and apparatus for forming battery active material on a substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a battery active material on a surface of a substrate includes a substrate conveyor system for transporting the substrate within the apparatus, a material spray assembly disposed above the substrate conveyor system, and a first heating element disposed adjacent to the material spray assembly above the substrate conveyor system configured to heat the substrate. The material spray assembly has a 2-D array of nozzles configured to electrospray an electrode forming solution on the surface of the substrate.

Complex showerhead coating apparatus with electrospray for lithium ion battery

Apparatus and methods of forming a battery-active material are described. An apparatus includes a first processing section that raises the temperature of a precursor material to a reaction threshold temperature, a second processing section that converts the precursor material to a battery-active material, and a third processing section that cools the resulting battery-active material. Each of the processing sections may be a continuous flow tubular component. The first and third processing sections may be metal, and the second processing section may be a refractory material for high temperature service. The battery-active material is collected using a solids collector.

Particle synthesis apparatus and methods

A method and apparatus for forming an electrochemical layer of a lithium ion battery is provided. A precursor mixture in a carrying medium is activated in a reactor chamber by application of energy to synthesize active materials. The activated precursor mixture is then spray deposited on a substrate. A binder and conductive materials may be blended, or sprayed separately, with the nano- or micro-crystals as they deposit on the surface to enhance adhesion and conductivity.

Hydrothermal synthesis of active materials and in situ spraying deposition for lithium ion battery

A method and apparatus for forming lithium-ion batteries and battery cell components, and more specifically, to a system and method for fabricating such batteries and battery cell components using deposition processes that form three-dimensional porous structures are provided. One method comprises texturing a conductive substrate by calendering the conductive substrate between opposing wire mesh structures, forming a first layer of cathodically active material having a first porosity on the surface of the textured conductive substrate, and forming a second layer of cathodically active material having a second porosity on the first layer, wherein the second porosity is greater than the first porosity.

Methods to fabricate variations in porosity of lithium ion battery electrode films

A method and apparatus for forming an electrochemical layer of a thin film battery is provided. A precursor mixture comprising precursor particles dispersed in a carrying medium is activated in an activation chamber by application of an electric field to ionize at least a portion of the precursor mixture. The activated precursor mixture is then mixed with a combustible gas mixture to add thermal energy to the precursor particles, converting them to nanocrystals, which deposit on a substrate. A second precursor may be blended with the nanocrystals as they deposit on the surface to enhance adhesion and conductivity.

In-situ deposition of battery active lithium materials by plasma spraying

A method and apparatus for forming an electrochemical layer of a thin film battery is provided. A precursor mixture comprising electrochemically active precursor particles dispersed in a carrying medium is provided to a processing chamber and thermally treated using a combustible gas mixture also provided to the chamber. The precursor is converted to nanocrystals by the thermal energy, and the nanocrystals are deposited on a substrate. A second precursor may be blended with the nanocrystals as they deposit on the surface to enhance adhesion and conductivity.

In-situ deposition of battery active lithium materials by thermal spraying

A thermal cycling module for thermally processing a substrate has a thermally-conductive support structure with a planar first side and a second side with a plurality of recesses. A heater is disposed on the first side of the support structure and a fluid distributor positioned beneath the second side of the support structure to direct a coolant onto the support structure to decrease the temperature of the substrate. The fluid distributor may have a plurality of rotatable arms and a plurality of nozzles attached to each arm.

Thermal cycling module

A control system and method for variable ramp rate operation of a heater or integrated heating and cooling plate is provided. The control system obtains a calibration signal for a specific thermal cycling profile and for a specific heater, by exposing a calibration wafer having temperature sensors coupled thereto to a predetermined thermal cycling profile. During the calibration process, the temperature sensed by one or more sensors positioned on the heater, or on a thermally conductive plate coupled to the heater is recorded, as is the signal output to the heater. Preferably the position of the wafer relative to the heating mechanism, and the flow of cooling fluid to the heating mechanism are also recorded as part of the calibration signal. When the calibration signal is executed during production processing, the heating mechanism, fluid flow and/or lift pin position can be adjusted based on feedback from the temperature sensors positioned on the heater or on the conductive plate.

Control system and method for providing variable ramp rate operation of a thermal cycling system

A heater is provided for use in substrate processing. In a first aspect, the heater is formed from a heater plate including an upper surface having at least one recess formed therein, a heater element wire disposed within the at least one recess and an electrically insulating and thermally conductive material disposed within the at least one recess so as to electrically insulate the heater element wire from the heater plate. Preferably a plurality of recesses are formed within the upper surface, a heater element wire is disposed within each recess and an electrically insulating and thermally conductive material is disposed within each recess so as to electrically insulate the heater element wire within each recess from the heater plate. A plurality of heating zones thereby may be formed. The electrically insulating and thermally conductive material preferably comprises a material deposited within the recess so as to embed the heater element wire within the electrically insulating and thermally conductive material. The electrically insulating and thermally conductive material also may comprise a plurality of insulating beads that surround the heater element wire. In a second aspect of the invention, the heater comprises a heater plate including an upper and a lower surface, the lower surface of the heater plate having a plurality of cooling fins or other surface features formed therein so as to increase the surface area of the lower surface. A method for cooling a heater also is provided wherein a lower surface of the heater's heater plate is sprayed with a cooling liquid so as to cool the heater. The temperature of the cooling liquid preferably is decreased gradually from a first temperature to a second temperature so as to cool the heater gradually.

Heater for use in substrate processing

A method and apparatus for providing integrated bake and chill thermal cycling applied to a material substrate is provided. The apparatus is a module comprising an integrated bake and chill plate with one or more fluid channels in a generally spiraling arrangement. The fluid channels have inlets and outlets near the center and perimeter of the integrated bake and chill plate. Additionally, the fluid channels can have microchannels through portions thereof. The module can also comprise one or more thermoelectric devices, a thermally conductive plate on which the substrate directly or indirectly rests, a printed circuit board, and a variable power source. The integrated bake and chill plate, the thermally conductive plate and the thermoelectric devices are all in thermal contact with each other. The thermoelectric devices are also in electrical contact with the variable power source and comprise a top plate, a bottom plate, a support positioned between the top and bottom plates, and one or more copper pads beneath the bottom plate for establishing electrical contact. The module bakes and chills a substrate by flowing fluids of different temperatures through the generally spiraling fluid channels and adjusting the temperature of the thermoelectric devices according to a preprogrammed cycle. Different fluid flow patterns can be chosen where fluid enters near the center of the integrated bake and chill plate and drains near the perimeter, where fluid enters near the perimeter and drains near the center, or where the two patterns are combined.

Integrated bake and chill plate

A semi-conductor wafer polishing machine having at least one polishing pad assembly and at least one wafer holder positioned to hold a semi-conductor wafer against the polishing pad assembly includes a joint having two axes of rotation intersecting at a center of rotation. A wafer chuck is supported on the joint adjacent the periphery of the chuck to provide higher material removal rates at the center of the wafer than the periphery of the wafer during polishing.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Hooman Bolandi