Ceramic Thin Films for High-Performance Batteries

(EMPA, September 17, 2020)

Empa researchers recently achieved a milestone in the search for a solid electrolyte, the conductive medium for future solid-state batteries, by having successfully produced an ultra-thin film of a special ceramic (chemically speaking, Li7La3Zr2O12, or LLZO for short), using a method called magnetron sputtering. Measurements on the ultra-thin material layer demonstrated a significantly higher conductivity compared to previously known materials, which is complemented by the fact that the thin films can be produced at much lower temperatures than the LLZO pellets known to date, thereby making the process faster, cheaper and more reliable. LLZO solid-state batteries are particularly interesting for smaller devices with high power requirements, such as in consumer electronics or IoT (Internet of Things) devices.