Heater-assisted intense pulsed light irradiation for lanthanum strontium cobaltite thin film electrode fabrication

Abstract

This study describes the bottom-heater-assisted flash light irradiation method for fabrication of lanthanum strontium cobaltite (La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-delta, LSCO) thin films. Unlike the conventional sintering process, flash light irradiation proceeds instantly under ambient conditions. Since the flash light irradiation process involves the photothermal effect, heat energy supplied by a bottom heater can compensate for decreased irradiation energy. The substrate temperature was varied from room temperature to 200 degrees C and 300 degrees C, and the radiation energy requirement for obtaining an optimized LSCO film was decreased with increasing temperature. In addition, the instantaneous temperature difference due to highly intense energy between the top surface and the substrate can be relieved. With the innovative sintering system, an electrolyte-supported solid oxide fuel cell could be fabricated by the flash light irradiation method, and electrochemical characterization of the fuel cells was conducted.