Lithium Manganese Oxide Sputtering Target (LiMn₂O₄, LMO)
The S4R Lithium Manganese Oxide Sputtering Target is manufactured from LiMn₂O₄ ceramic for physical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering applications.
Lithium manganese oxide, commonly designated LMO, is a mixed-valence lithium–manganese oxide with a cubic spinel structure. It is used as a positive-electrode material in lithium-ion battery research and is particularly relevant to thin-film batteries, microbatteries, all-solid-state battery systems and cathode–electrolyte interface studies. LiMn₂O₄ ceramic targets have been used experimentally to prepare spinel thin films by RF magnetron sputtering.
The standard S4R configuration is supplied as a 2-inch ceramic target indium-bonded to a 3 mm thick copper backing plate:
- Target diameter: Ø50.8 mm (2 in.)
- LiMn₂O₄ target thickness: 3.18 mm (0.125 in.)
- Copper backing plate thickness: 3 mm
- Total nominal assembly thickness: approximately 6.18 mm, excluding the bonding layer
- Standard bonding method: indium bonding
- Purity: to be confirmed according to the supplier specification and batch certificate
Alternative target dimensions, backing-plate geometries, bonding methods, unbonded configurations and modified compositions may be available upon request. Final compatibility must be confirmed according to the customer’s sputtering cathode and mounting system.
The standard chemical designation refers to nominal LiMn₂O₄. Lithium-enriched, manganese-deficient, doped or otherwise modified compositions must be identified separately and should not be presented as equivalent to stoichiometric LiMn₂O₄.
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Sputtering and Compatibility
LiMn₂O₄ is a ceramic oxide target. RF magnetron sputtering is therefore the prudent standard recommendation for the S4R product page. Published studies report deposition of LiMn₂O₄ thin films from ceramic targets using RF magnetron sputtering, including non-reactive deposition in argon and processes where pressure, substrate temperature or subsequent heat treatment influence the resulting film structure and properties.
The copper backing plate provides mechanical support and assists heat transfer between the ceramic target and the cooled cathode. The indium bonding layer promotes thermal contact while accommodating part of the difference in thermal expansion between the ceramic and metallic components.
Actual deposition conditions depend on:
- sputtering-source design;
- RF generator and matching network;
- target density and microstructure;
- exact chemical composition;
- bonding quality and cathode cooling;
- argon pressure and gas flow;
- use or absence of reactive gas;
- substrate material and substrate temperature;
- desired film composition and crystallinity;
- post-deposition heat treatment.
S4R should not publish a universal RF power, gas pressure, substrate temperature or annealing temperature for this target. These parameters must be developed for the customer’s equipment and desired film properties.
The film composition and crystal structure should not be assumed to reproduce the bulk target exactly. Lithium-containing compounds may show composition changes during deposition, and the final phase depends on the complete deposition and thermal-treatment process.
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