Dynamic Measurements of Hydrogen and Lithium Distributions in Lithium-Cobalt-Oxide Films with Charging and Heating Using Elastic Recoil Detection Techniques

The migrations of lithium (Li) as well as hydrogen (H) in multi-layers thin films of Au/LiCoO2 (thickness: approximately 42 nm/80 nm), deposited onto one face of Li1.4Ti2Si0.4P2.6O12–AlPO4 (LATP) substrates, were dynamically observed with electric charging as well as isochronal annealing in vacuum by combining elastic recoil detection (ERD) analysis with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)with 9.0-MeV O4+ ion-probe beams. The ERD spectra clearly revealed that Li atoms of approximately 9.4 at% migrated from the LiCoO2 surface to the LiCoO2/LATP interface with H absorption by a charge of approximately 0.48 e/cm2, which the acquiredvoltage was1.65 V. In addition, the diffusion of Li atoms to the LATP bulk occurred with H release by isochronal annealing at only 323 K for 10 min.The presence of H significantly influences the Li+ ion conduction for the Li-battery systems.