ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 41, Number 11
JKCSEZ 41(11)
October 20, 1997 

Lithium nickel oxide (Li2xNi1-xO) thin films have been prepared by the RF sputtering of lithiated nickel oxide target, where the film microstructure was controlled by the sputtering atmosphere (Ar/O2) and the substrate temperature (Ts=50/230 ℃). From the transmission electron microscopic analysis, it is found that the most porous film with the grain size of ∼80 Å could be fabricated under the sputtering atmosphere of P(O2)=8×10-2 mbar with the Ts=50 ℃. In the optical and electrochemical studies, the Li2xNi1-xO films exhibit a significant electrochromic property in association with the lithium insertion/deinsertion process. The amount of charge insertion (Qi) and the optical density (OD) variation depend on the crystallinity of the film as well as its thickness, and for the Li2xNi1-xO film (170 nm thickness) prepared under O2 atmosphere and Ts=50 ℃, the OD could be increased up to ∼1.3 by the charge insertion with Qi=30 mC/cm2.