Abstract: A method for forming lithium metal oxides comprised of Ni, Mn and Co useful for making lithium ion batteries comprises providing precursor particulates of Ni and Co that are of a particular size that allows the formation of improved lithium metal oxides. The method allows the formation of lithium metal oxides having improved safety while retaining good capacity and rate capability. In particular, the method allows for the formation of lithium metal oxide where the primary particle surface Mn/Ni ratio is greater than the bulk Mn/Ni. Likewise the method allows the formation of lithium metal oxides with secondary particles having much higher densities allowing for higher cathode densities and battery capacities while retaining good capacity and rate performance.

Abstract: A process for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN to planarize the surface and at least improve surface topography of the substrate. The process includes providing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN; providing a polishing composition, containing, as initial components: water; an oxidizing agent; aspartic acid or salts thereof; and, colloidal silica abrasives with diameters of ?25 nm; and, providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the polishing composition onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; wherein some of the cobalt is polished away to planarize the substrate to provide improved cobalt:TiN removal rate selectivity.

Abstract: A process for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN to planarize the surface and at least improve surface topography of the substrate. The process includes providing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN; providing a polishing composition, containing, as initial components: water; an oxidizing agent; aspartic acid or salts thereof; and, colloidal silica abrasives with diameters of ?25 nm; and, providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the polishing composition onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; wherein some of the cobalt is polished away to planarize the substrate to provide improved cobalt:TiN removal rate selectivity.

Abstract: The invention is an aqueous slurry useful for chemical mechanical polishing a semiconductor substrate having cobalt or cobalt alloy containing features containing Co0. The slurry includes 0.1 to 2 wt % hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent (?), 0.5 to 3 wt % colloidal silica particles (?), a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, 0.5 to 2 wt % complexing agent (?) selected from at least one of L-aspartic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid), ethylenediamine-N,N?-disuccinic acid trisodium salt, and ethylene glycol-bis (2aminoethylether)-N,N,N?,N?-tetraacetic acid, and balance water having a pH of 5 to 9. The total concentrations remain within the following formulae as follows: wt % (?)+wt % (?)=1 to 4 wt % for polishing the cobalt or cobalt alloy; wt % (?)?2*wt % (?) for limiting static etch of the cobalt or cobalt alloy; and wt % (?)+wt % (?)?3*wt % (?) for limiting static etch.

Abstract: A process for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN to at least improve cobalt: TiN removal rate selectivity. The process includes providing a substrate containing cobalt and TiN; providing a polishing composition, containing, as initial components: water; an oxidizing agent; alanine or salts thereof; and, colloidal silica abrasives with diameters of ?25 nm; and, providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad, having a polishing surface; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the polishing composition onto the polishing surface at or near the interface between the polishing pad and the substrate; wherein some of the cobalt is polished away such that there is an improvement in the cobalt: TiN removal rate selectivity.

Abstract: The invention is a method for chemical mechanical polishing a semiconductor substrate having cobalt or cobalt alloy containing features containing Co0. The method mixes 0.1 to 2 wt % hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent (?) into a slurry containing 0.5 to 3 wt % colloidal silica particles (?), the colloidal silica particles containing primary particles, 0.5 to 2 wt % complexing agent (?) selected from at least one of L-aspartic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid), ethylenediamine-N,N?-disuccinic acid trisodium salt, and ethylene glycol-bis (2aminoethylether)-N,N,N?,N?-tetraacetic acid, and balance water having a pH of 5 to 9 to create a polishing slurry for the semiconductor substrate. Oxidizing at least a surface portion of the Co0 to Co+3 of the semiconductor substrate to prevent runaway dissolution of the Co0 reduces polishing defects in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The invention is an aqueous slurry useful for chemical mechanical polishing a semiconductor substrate having cobalt or cobalt alloy containing features containing Co0. The slurry includes 0.1 to 2 wt % hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent (?), 0.5 to 3 wt % colloidal silica particles (?), a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, 0.5 to 2 wt % complexing agent (?) selected from at least one of L-aspartic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid), ethylenediamine-N,N?-disuccinic acid trisodium salt, and ethylene glycol-bis (2aminoethylether)-N,N,N?,N?-tetraacetic acid, and balance water having a pH of 5 to 9. The total concentrations remain within the following formulae as follows: wt % (?)+wt % (?)=1 to 4 wt % for polishing the cobalt or cobalt alloy; wt % (?)?2*wt % (?) for limiting static etch of the cobalt or cobalt alloy; and wt % (?)+wt % (?)?3*wt % (?) for limiting static etch.

Abstract: The invention is a method for chemical mechanical polishing a semiconductor substrate having cobalt or cobalt alloy containing features containing Co0. The method mixes 0.1 to 2 wt % hydrogen peroxide oxidizing agent (?) into a slurry containing 0.5 to 3 wt % colloidal silica particles (?), the colloidal silica particles containing primary particles, 0.5 to 2 wt % complexing agent (?) selected from at least one of L-aspartic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, nitrilotri(methylphosphonic acid), ethylenediamine-N,N?-disuccinic acid trisodium salt, and ethylene glycol-bis (2aminoethylether)-N,N,N?,N?-tetraacetic acid, and balance water having a pH of 5 to 9 to create a polishing slurry for the semiconductor substrate. Oxidizing at least a surface portion of the Co0 to Co+3 of the semiconductor substrate to prevent runaway dissolution of the Co0 reduces polishing defects in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Particulate LMFP cathode materials having high manganese contents and small amounts of dopant metals are disclosed. These cathode materials are made by milling a mixture of precursor materials in a wet or dry milling process. Preferably, off-stoichiometric amounts of starting materials are used to make the cathode materials. Unlike other high manganese LMFP materials, these cathode materials provide high specific capacities, very good cycle life and high energies even at high discharge rates.

Abstract: An improved method of making a cathode for use in a lithium ion battery is comprised of mixing a lithium metal oxide and lithium metal phosphate in a solvent, where both of these are comprised of primary particles that have been agglomerated into secondary particles of particular size and mixing is insufficient to break up the particles of the lithium metal phosphate, coating the mixture of step (A) on to a metal foil and removing the solvent to form the cathode. The lithium metal oxide is also desirably not broken either. The cathode may be one that has lithium metal oxide and a particular lithium metal phosphate wherein the majority of the metal is Mn.

Abstract: A method for forming lithium metal oxides comprised of Ni, Mn and Co useful for making lithium ion batteries comprises providing precursor particulates of Ni and Co that are of a particular size that allows the formation of improved lithium metal oxides. The method allows the formation of lithium metal oxides having improved safety while retaining good capacity and rate capability. In particular, the method allows for the formation of lithium metal oxide where the primary particle surface Mn/Ni ratio is greater than the bulk Mn/Ni. Likewise the method allows the formation of lithium metal oxides with secondary particles having much higher densities allowing for higher cathode densities and battery capacities while retaining good capacity and rate performance.

Abstract: An improved method of making a cathode for use in a lithium ion battery is comprised of mixing a lithium metal oxide and lithium metal phosphate in a solvent, where both of these are comprised of primary particles that have been agglomerated into secondary particles of particular size and mixing is insufficient to break up the particles of the lithium metal phosphate, coating the mixture of step (A) on to a metal foil and removing the solvent to form the cathode. The lithium metal oxide is also desirably not broken either. The cathode may be one that has lithium metal oxide and a particular lithium metal phosphate wherein the majority of the metal is Mn.

Abstract: Olivine lithium manganese iron phosphate is made in a coprecipitation process from a water/alcoholic cosolvent mixture. The LMFP particles so obtained exhibit surprisingly high electronic conductivities, which in turn leads to other advantages such as high energy and power densities and excellent cycling performance.

Abstract: An inexpensive method for making lithium transition metal olivine particles that have high specific capacities is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) combining precursor materials including at least one source of lithium ions, at least one source of transition metal ions, at least one source of HxP04 ions where x is 0-2 and at least one source of carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, formate and/or acetate ions in a mixture of water and a liquid cosolvent which is miscible with water at the relative proportions of water and cosolvent that are present and which liquid cosolvent has a boiling temperature of at least 130° C.; wherein the mole ratio of lithium ions to HxP04 ions is from 0.9:1 to 1.2:1, and a lithium transition metal phosphate and at least one of carbonic acid, formic acid or acetic acid are formed, b) heating the resulting mixture at a temperature of up to 120° C.

Abstract: Particulate LMFP cathode materials having high manganese contents and small amounts of dopant metals are disclosed These cathode materials are made by milling a mixture of precursor materials in a wet or dry milling process. Preferably, off-stoichiometric amounts of starting materials are used to make the cathode materials. Unlike other high manganese LMFP materials, these cathode materials provide high specific capacities, very good cycle life and high energies even at high discharge rates.

Abstract: Olivine lithium transition metal phosphate cathode materials are made in a microwave-assisted process by combining precursors in a mixture of water and an alcoholic cosolvent, then exposing the precursors to microwave radiation 5 to heat them under superatmospheric pressure. This process allows rapid synthesis of the cathode materials, and produces cathode materials that have high specific capacities.

Abstract: Cathodes for lithium batteries contain a lithium-manganese cathodic material and from 0.5 to 20% by weight of lithium oxalate. Batteries containing the electrodes tend to exhibit high cycling capacities.