Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is crucial in alternative energy, enabling precise, conformal, ultra-thin films for high-performance devices like solar cells (perovskite, silicon), fuel cells, and batteries, by controlling interfaces, passivating surfaces, engineering band structures, and creating stable catalysts, leading to better efficiency and durability. Its ability to create pinhole-free layers with atomic precision on complex nanostructures makes it ideal for carrier transport layers, buffer layers, and protective barriers.

Atomic Layer Deposition for Lithium‑ion Batteries

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) offers precise, conformal, ultra‑thin coatings that significantly enhance the performance and durability of lithium‑ion battery components. Traditional liquid electrolyte lithium‑ion batteries face performance limitations due to electrode degradation, parasitic side reactions, and unstable interfaces. ALD addresses these challenges by depositing atomically controlled coatings on cathodes, anodes, and separators, improving overall battery electrochemical stability.

ALD coatings on electrode surfaces act as protective passivation layers that suppress undesirable side reactions between the electrolyte and active materials, reducing decomposition and slowing performance loss during cycling. This conformal coating also improves the structural integrity of electrodes, reducing transition metal dissolution and mitigating Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) growth, which translates into longer cycle life, higher retained capacity and enhanced safety. Recent studies report that ALD coatings enable higher voltage operation, reduce impedance growth over extended cycling, and improve thermal stability of lithium‑ion cells. 

Key performance impacts of ALD on lithium‑ion cells include:

Enhanced cycle life and stability, thanks to surface protection and suppressed degradation.

Improved capacity retention and rate performance due to stabilized electrode reactions.

Reduced gas evolution and impedance growth, enabling safer high‑power operation.

Applications across a range of cathode and anode chemistries, including high‑Ni cathodes and silicon‑based anodes. 

These benefits make ALD a highly promising technology for next‑generation lithium‑ion batteries used in electric vehicles, portable electronics and grid storage applications.

Atomic Layer Deposition for LiFePO₄ Batteries

LiFePO₄ (LFP) is a widely used cathode material in lithium‑ion batteries because of its thermal stability, safety and cost competitiveness. However, LFP cathodes can still suffer from surface degradation, reduced conductivity and capacity fade over long‑term cycling, especially under high mass loading conditions. ALD addresses these issues by coating the LFP particles with a uniform nanoscale layer, such as Al₂O₃ or other protective oxides.

Advantages of ALD coatings for LFP cathodes include:

Suppression of side reactions at the cathode‑electrolyte interface, reducing capacity loss.

Improved cycling performance and durability, particularly at elevated temperatures.

Enhanced interfacial stability, which supports higher utilization of active LFP material even under demanding charge/discharge conditions. 

Atomic Layer Deposition for Solid‑State Batteries

Solid‑state batteries (SSBs) replace the traditional liquid electrolyte with a solid electrolyte, offering higher energy density, improved safety, and a pathway to next‑generation energy storage. However, the interfaces between electrodes and solid electrolytes are challenging to stabilize due to poor contact, dendrite formation and high interfacial resistance.

ALD enables the deposition of uniform, conformal solid electrolyte thin films and interfacial coatings that extend battery performance and stability. These thin films can serve as solid‑state ionic conductors or protective interlayers that enhance electrode‑electrolyte compatibility.

Key contributions of ALD in solid‑state battery development:

Conformal solid electrolyte films (e.g., lithium silicates, LiPON, lithium phosphates) can be grown with precise thickness control to support efficient lithium‑ion transport. 

Stabilization of lithium metal anodes through ultrathin ALD‑applied coatings reduces dendrite growth and mitigates interfacial instability, which are major obstacles in metal anode SSBs. 

Interface passivation layers created by ALD can maintain low resistance contact between electrodes and solid electrolyte, supporting high‑voltage cycling and long‑term operation.

What We Provide

ZLD industrial's powder ALD and CVD systems achieve mass production, with innovative processes applied in alternative energy sectors like lithium batteries. Through modular system design and process innovation, the company's equipment features multi-material compatibility, enabling customized thin-film deposition solutions for diverse application scenarios. 

This ensures high uniformity and stability in layer structure.The technology effectively addresses interface passivation challenges in new energy devices, achieving a 15-20% increase in energy density for power batteries while extending cycle life to 1.5 times the industry average. This breakthrough significantly enhances end-product performance consistency and long-term reliability.