The potential use of 3D aluminium nanorod structures as current collectors and negative electrodes for 3D Li-ion micro-batteries was studied based on the use of relatively simple and cost-effective electrochemical and sol-gel deposition techniques. Aluminium rod structures were synthesised by galvanostatic electrodeposition using commercial porous membranes as templates. It was shown that the use of a short (i.e., 50 ms long) potential pulse (i.e., -0.9 V vs. Al3+/Al) applied prior to a pulsed current electrochemical deposition gave rise to homogeneous deposits with more even rod heights.  Electrophoretic and sol-gel deposition of TiO2 on the same substrates were also studied. The use of the sol-gel technique successfully resulted in a thin coating of amorphous TiO2 on the Al nanorod current collector, but with relatively small discharge capacities due to the amorphous character of the deposits. Electrophoretic deposition was, however, successful only on 2D substrates. Anodisation of titanium was used to prepare 3D TiO2 nanotube electrodes, with a nanotube length of 9 um and wall thickness of 50 nm. The electrodes displayed high and stable discharge capacities of 460 µAh/cm2 at a 0.1 C rate upon prolonged cycling with good rate capability. The 3D aluminium nanorod structures were tested as negative electrodes for Li-ion cells and the observed capacity fading was assigned to trapping of LiAl alloy inside the aluminium electrode caused by the diffusion of lithium into the electrode, rather than to pulverisation of the aluminium rods. The capacity fading effect could, however, be eliminated by decreasing the oxidation potential limit from 3.0 to 1.0 V vs. Li+/Li. A model for the alloying and dealloying of lithium with aluminium was also proposed. Finally, a proof-of-concept for a full 3D Li-ion micro-battery with electrodes of different geometries was demonstrated. The cell comprised a positive electrode, based on LiFePO4 deposited on a carbon foam current collector, with an area gain factor an order of magnitude larger than that for the Al nanorod negative electrode. This concept facilitates the balancing of 3D Li-ion cells as the positive electrode materials generally have significant lower specific energy densities than the negative electrodes.

Dans le développement des technologies microélectroniques, l’analyse de défaillance permet par l’étude des mécanismes de défaillance potentiels de définir des solutions correctives. La mise en œuvre des techniques de localisation et d’observation des défauts requiert une méthodologie, dont l’étape clé est la préparation d’échantillons. Celle-ci doit continuellement évoluer pour s’adapter aux innovations technologiques qui introduisent de nouveaux matériaux, et augmentent la complexité des composants assemblés. Cette thèse s’est intéressée à la méthodologie de préparation d’échantillons pour l’analyse de défaillance de deux familles de produits : les produits discrets et IPAD, et les micro-batteries. Pour les produits discrets et IPAD, une optimisation de la méthodologie existante a été réalisée en intégrant de nouvelles approches, développées pour résoudre des cas jusqu’alors en échec. Pour les micro-batteries, les matériaux utilisés et leur architecture ont nécessité une remise en question complète de la méthodologie de préparation d’échantillon. / In the development of microelectronic technologies, the failure analysis makes it possible to define corrective actions thanks to the understanding of the failure mechanism. In order to define the most adequate localization and observation techniques to use, a failure analysis flow is required. The sample preparation is a key step of this flow. This flow must continuously evolve to take into account the technological innovations that introduce new materials, and increase the complexity of assembled components. This work concerned the sample preparation flow for the failure analysis of two product families : the discrete products and IPAD, and the micro-batteries. Concerning the discrete products and the IPAD, an optimization of the current flow was performed with the integration of new approaches developed to solve failed cases. For the micro-batteries, the used materials and their architecture required an entire reappraisal of the sample preparation flow.

Dans le développement des technologies microélectroniques, l'analyse de défaillance permet par l'étude des mécanismes de défaillance potentiels de définir des solutions correctives. La mise en œuvre des techniques de localisation et d'observation des défauts requiert une méthodologie, dont l'étape clé est la préparation d'échantillons. Celle-ci doit continuellement évoluer pour s'adapter aux innovations technologiques qui introduisent de nouveaux matériaux, et augmentent la complexité des composants assemblés. Cette thèse s'est intéressée à la méthodologie de préparation d'échantillons pour l'analyse de défaillance de deux familles de produits : les produits discrets et IPAD, et les micro-batteries. Pour les produits discrets et IPAD, une optimisation de la méthodologie existante a été réalisée en intégrant de nouvelles approches, développées pour résoudre des cas jusqu'alors en échec. Pour les micro-batteries, les matériaux utilisés et leur architecture ont nécessité une remise en question complète de la méthodologie de préparation d'échantillon.

La miniaturisation des systèmes électroniques est aujourd’hui l’un des enjeux majeurs de la recherche et demande une importante évolution des sources d’énergie. Les micro-accumulateurs tout solide sont une réponse parfaitement adaptée à ce besoin. Leur capacité est toutefois actuellement limitée à 50-200 µAh.cm-2 du fait de la difficulté d’employer des couches de matériaux actifs d’épaisseur supérieure à 5 µm. L’une des pistes pour augmenter la capacité spécifique des micro-accumulateurs est de déposer les différents matériaux sur un substrat texturé. Les techniques de dépôt sous vide classiques ne permettent pas de déposer des films conformes sur de telles surfaces, principalement à cause d’effets d’ombrage. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse a donc été de développer de nouvelles voies de dépôt pour la réalisation de micro-accumulateurs tout-solide 3D. Deux voies de dépôt chimique ont été explorées : la synthèse sol-gel et l’électrodépôt sous conditions hydrothermales. La synthèse sol-gel n’a pas permis d’aboutir à la réalisation de films denses et conformes. Cependant, elle s’est avérée très intéressante pour synthétiser des poudres de LiCoO2 rhomboédrique présentant d’importantes surfaces spécifiques, sans étape de broyage, à des températures de synthèse modérées (600-700°C). Le dépôt électrolytique en conditions hydrothermales s’est quant à lui révélé très prometteur tant pour sa vitesse de dépôt importante, jusqu’à 300 nm.mn-1, que pour sa température de synthèse basse, à partir de 125°C, sans nécessiter de recuit. Les films synthétisés présentent d’excellentes performances électrochimiques en électrolyte liquide et une conformité sur des substrats texturés supérieure à 97 %. / The miniaturization of electronic systems is today a main topic of research and requires an important evolution of energy sources. All solid state micro-batteries are a perfectly adapted solution for this need. However, their specific capacity is limited to 50-200 µAh.cm-2 due to the difficulty to use films of active materials thickness over than 5 µm. One of the answers to enhance micro-batteries specific capacity is to deposit materials on textured substrate. Nevertheless, classical vacuum deposition techniques are not adapted to deposit conformal thin films on such surfaces because of shadow effects. The aim of this PhD-work was to develop new synthesis routes to realize 3D all solid state micro-batteries. Two chemical synthesis routes were studied: the sol-gel method and the electrodeposition under hydrothermal conditions. The sol-gel synthesis was not efficient to realize conformal and dense films. However, this technique was very effective to obtain rhombohedra LiCoO2 powders with high specific surface, without grinding step, at moderate temperature (600-700°C). The electrodeposition under hydrothermal conditions was very promising, both for its high deposition rate (up to 300 nm.mn-1) and its low synthesis temperature (from 125°C) without any annealing. The synthesized films exhibited excellent electrochemical performances in liquid electrolyte and a conformity higher than 97 % on textured substrates.

All solid state Li-ion batteries (thin film micro batteries) have become inevitable for miniaturized devices and sensors as power sources. Fabrication of electrode materials for batteries in thin film form has been carried out with the existing technologies used in semiconductor industry. In the present thesis, radio frequency (RF) sputtering has been chosen for deposition of cathode material (ceramic oxides) thin films because of several advantages such as precise thickness control and deposition of compound thin films with equivalent composition. Conventional sputtering involves fabrication of thin film using custom made pellet according to the specification of sputter gun. However several issues such as target breaking are inevitable with the pellet sputtering. To forfend the issues, powder sputtering has been implemented for the deposition of various thin film cathodes in an economically feasible approach. Optimization of various process parameters during film deposition of cathode materials LiCoO2, Li2MnO3, LiNixMnyO4, mixed oxide cathodes of LiMn2O4, LiCoO2 and TiO2 etc., have been executed successfully by the present approach to achieve optimum electrochemical performance. Thereafter the optimized process parameters would be useful for selection of cathode layers for micro battery fabrication. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to the Li ion and thin film solid state batteries. It also highlights the advantages of powder sputtering compared to conventional pellet sputtering. In Chapter 2, the materials used and methods employed for the fabrication of thin film electrodes and analytical characterizations have been discussed. In chapter 3, implementation of powder sputtering for the deposition of LiCoO2 thin films has been discussed. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical investigations have been carried out and promising results have been achieved. Charge discharge studies delivered a discharge capacity of 64 µAh µm-1 cm-2 in the first cycle in the potential range 3.0-4.2 V vs. Li/Li+. The possible causes for the moderate cycle life performance have been discussed. Systematic investigations for RF power optimization for the deposition of Li2-xMnO3-y thin films have been carried out. Galvanostatic charge discharge studies delivered a highest discharge capacity of 139 µAh µm-1cm-2 in the potential window 2.0-3.5 V. Thereafter, effect of LMO film thickness on electrochemical performance has been studied in the thickness range 70 nm to 300 nm. Films of lower thickness delivered higher discharge capacity with good cycle life than the thicker films. These details are discussed in chapter 4. In Chapter 5, fabrication and electrochemical performance of LiNixMnyO4 thin films are presented. LMO thin films have been deposited on nickel coated stainless steel substrates. The as deposited films were annealed at 500 °C in ambient conditions. Nickel diffuses in to LMO film and results in LiNixMnyO4 (LMNO) film. These films were further characterized. Electrochemical studies were conducted up to higher potential 4.4 V resulted in discharge capacities of the order of 55 µAh µm-1cm-2. In chapter 6, electrochemical investigations of mixed oxide thin films of LiCoO2 and LiMn2O4 have been carried out. Electrochemical investigations have been carried out in the potential window 2.0–4.3 V and a discharge capacity of 24 µAh µm-1cm-2 has been achieved. In continuation, TiO2 powder was added to the former composition and the deposited films were characterized for electrochemical performance. The potential window as well as the discharge capacity enhanced after TiO2 doping. Electrochemical characterization has been carried out in the potential window 1.4–4.5 V, and a discharge capacity of 135 µAh µm-1cm-2 has been achieved. Finally chapter 7 gives overall conclusions and future directions to the continuation of the work.