Open-circuit energy band diagram for a Ag/LiMn2O4/LiPON/ZnO solid-state battery

To design microelectronic devices, it is crucial to develop a new small-scale electrical power source technology. In this sense, this study reports on a novel method to design solid-state batteries for onboard technologies. The study details the fabrication of three bilayer systems (Ag/LiMn 2 O 4 , LiMn 2 O 4 /LiPON, and LiPON/ZnO) using the Magnetron sputtering deposition technique. By utilizing a SEM and XPS, it was determined that thin, uniform films composed of LiMn 2 O 4 , LiPON, ZnO, and Ag were deposited. In addition, this study presents the implementation of the Kraut method to reconstruct the open-circuit energy band diagram for an Ag/LiMn 2 O 4 /LiPON/ZnO solid-state battery. Based on the energy diagram analysis, it was discovered that the open-circuit voltage measures at 3.18 ± 0.05 eV, and the electrochemical potential window is at 4.61 ± 0.05 eV. The LMO/LiPON heterojunction creates an electronic insulating interphase layer that does not cause the solid-state electrolyte to decompose. However, the LiPON/ZnO heterojunction creates an electronic conductor interphase layer that leads to the continuous degradation of the solid-state electrolyte.