Tingting Z
2025年4月23日
Battery Storage Industry Trend: Composite Films & Density Engineering
The ongoing “battery revolution” in lithium ion, solid state, sodium ion and other chemistries is driven by the relentless pursuit of higher energy density, longer cycle life and enhanced safety. Achieving these goals hinges on the development of novel materials, where high quality thin film electrodes and functional coatings play a pivotal role.
• Composite thin films built on electrode surfaces can stabilise interfaces and suppress side reactions, thereby extending service life.
• Researchers are likewise optimising material density: introducing nanoporous structures or lightweight phases to lower overall electrode mass while preserving active material efficacy. This strategy promises a higher specific energy (Wh kg⁻¹) — critical for portable and aerospace applications — yet it also poses challenges such as diminished film strength or adhesion, demanding advanced deposition technology to balance weight with structural integrity.
VPI (High‑Vacuum SD‑650 Series Magnetron Sputtering System) Powering Battery‑Storage Materials Research — A Technical Case Study
Battery‑Storage Industry Trend: Composite Films & Density Engineering
The ongoing “battery revolution” in lithium‑ion, solid‑state, sodium‑ion and other chemistries is driven by the relentless pursuit of higher energy density, longer cycle life and enhanced safety. Achieving these goals hinges on the development of novel materials, where high‑quality thin‑film electrodes and functional coatings play a pivotal role.
Composite thin films built on electrode surfaces can stabilise interfaces and suppress side reactions, thereby extending service life.
Researchers are likewise optimising material density: introducing nanoporous structures or lightweight phases to lower overall electrode mass while preserving active‑material efficacy. This strategy promises a higher specific energy (Wh kg⁻¹) — critical for portable and aerospace applications — yet it also poses challenges such as diminished film strength or adhesion, demanding advanced deposition technology to balance weight with structural integrity.
VPI High‑Vacuum Coating Equipment — Performance Overview
Founded in 2004, Vision Precision Instruments (VPI) has supplied more than 3 000 universities, institutes and enterprises worldwide with state‑of‑the‑art vacuum‑coating solutions. Its portfolio spans high‑vacuum magnetron sputtering, DC ion sputtering and thermal‑evaporation systems.
Key capabilities of VPI coating tools
Capability | Technical Highlights |
Ultra‑high‑vacuum chamber | Turbo‑molecular & dry‑pump stack reaches < 1 × 10⁻⁴ Pa in minutes; ultimate vacuum 5 × 10⁻⁵ Pa, ensuring contamination‑free films. |
Superior thickness uniformity | Rotating substrate stage and circular‑magnet cathodes convert spatial into temporal uniformity; ≤ ± 5 % thickness variation across wafers. |
Broad materials compatibility | Dual DC & RF power supplies handle conductors to insulators; multi‑cathode layout enables sequential multilayer or graded films in a single pump‑down. |
Multi‑source thermal evaporation | Boat, crucible or e‑beam sources can be fired sequentially or co‑evaporated without breaking vacuum — indispensable for multilayer or alloy stacks. |
Ion‑assisted deposition (IAD) | Optional broad‑beam ion source compacts films in‑situ, yielding higher density, lower stress and stronger substrate bonding; also enables in‑chamber pre‑clean. |
Integrated multi‑process platform | Selected SD systems combine magnetron sputtering and thermal evaporation in one chamber for rapid process switching. |
Precision control & safety | Composite vacuum gauges, mass‑flow‑controlled gas lines, touch‑panel HMI and interlocked water‑cooling/over‑pressure protection guarantee stable, safe operation under demanding UHV, high‑power conditions. |
Application Case — Northeastern Industrial University
Objective Lower electrode density while maintaining electrochemical performance to boost gravimetric energy density.
Equipment VPI high‑vacuum system equipped with dual magnetron guns.
Process highlights
1. Co‑sputtering of active & lightweight targets
o Active target: lithium‑rich manganese oxide.
o Lightweight target: graphene‑based carbon.
o Power‑ratio control finely tunes carbon fraction, allowing density engineering in real time.
2. Ion‑assisted densification
o Low‑energy ions bombard the growing film, filling micro‑voids and cleansing the interface — critical when low‑density phases risk porosity or poor adhesion.
3. Parameter optimisation with simulation feedback
o Higher sputter power & pumping speed minimise oxygen uptake.
o Monte‑Carlo thickness mapping guides gun–substrate geometry, compensating for element‑specific scattering to keep ≤ ± 5 % uniformity on 4‑inch substrates.
4. Rotating substrate carousel elevates throughput and eliminates shadowing; multiple coupons are coated per run with a mirror‑bright, continuous metallic sheen.
Results
Metric | Outcome |
Density reduction | ≈ 15 % lighter versus baseline oxide film at equal thickness. |
Micro‑structure | SEM reveals nano‑porous carbon scaffold uniformly embedded in oxide matrix, providing fast ion pathways. |
Electro‑chemistry | ~10 % higher specific capacity and improved high‑rate retention; porous network mitigates volume change, extending cycle life. |
Adhesion & durability | Zero peel in tape tests; no cracking or performance fade after high‑temp/high‑humidity ageing, credited to IAD‑compacted interfaces. |
Why VPI Excels in Battery‑Materials R&D
Best‑in‑class film quality: UHV base pressures plus advanced sputter/evaporation optics deliver pure, dense and uniform coatings for electrodes, solid electrolytes or protective interphases.
All‑in‑one toolset: Magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, DC/RF biasing and IAD can be mixed‑and‑matched in a single platform — ideal for cross‑disciplinary materials exploration.
Smart & customisable: Open software architecture and seasoned engineering support facilitate AI‑driven process optimisation and bespoke hardware (gun geometry, fixtures, chamber scaling).
Proven track record: Thousands of installations across energy, optoelectronics, semiconductors and nanoscience validate VPI’s reliability and cutting‑edge performance.
VPI — empowering researchers to engineer the next generation of high‑performance, lightweight battery materials.