Vacuum installation for ion-plasma deposition of solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte

Abstract

The traditional, well-studied and widely used methods for the formation of the electrolyte of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are the various powder technologies. Despite of their simplicity and low cost, they have limited use in developments, aimed at increasing the power density of the SOFC by minimizing the thickness of the electrolyte. The method of magnetron deposition of thin films is promising for solving this problem. Its advantages include the possibility of independent regulation of the main parameters of the deposition process, obtaining coatings of uniform thickness on substrates of a large area with the necessary structural and operational characteristics. An automated vacuum installation, Electrolyte 1.0, has been developed to deposit a thin film ZrO2:Y2O3 (YSZ) electrolyte and a Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 (GDC) barrier layer on the anodes of the SOFC by reactive dual magnetron sputtering. The installation includes a vacuum chamber, oil-free vacuum pumping system, systems for cooling, gas distribution, substrate positioning, heating and temperature control, electrolyte thickness control, dual magnetron sputtering systems with Zr/Y and Ce/Gd cathodes, an ion source with closed electron drift, power supplies, and control system. The technological process of a two-layer YSZǀGDC electrolyte deposition is fully automated.