Physical and electrochemical properties of Li-intercalated Sn oxide films made by sputtering

Sn oxide films were made by reactive rf magnetron sputtering under conditions that led to both electronic and ionic conductivity. The film structure was studied by X-ray diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Li⁺ intercalation produced electrochromism with coloration efficiency peaked in the infrared. Cyclic voltammograms taken at different sweep rates were interpreted in terms of a unique structural parameter related to the fractal dimension of a self-affine surface relief and in excellent agreement with the fractal dimension as obtained with AFM. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to determine the valence state of the Sn-atoms; a change from Sn⁴⁺ to Sn²⁺ was detected after electrochemical intercalation of Li⁺.