Magnetron sputtered LSC thin films for solid oxide fuel cell application

In this study, La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO_3-δ (LSC) thin films were deposited by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering at oblique angle of the LSC target. The effect of post-annealing temperature in the range of 600-1000^°C on the film crystalline structure was investigated. The phase composition, crystalline structure and surface morphology of the films were determined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with bi-layered thin-film yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) / gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) electrolyte and an LSC thin film interlayer were fabricated. Polarization curves were measured in the temperature range from 700 to 800^°C. It was shown that the LSC interlayer improves SOFC power density. Our results demonstrate that magnetron sputtering provides a low-temperature synthesis route for realizing thin LSC films for intermediate-temperature SOFCs.