Nano-amorphous thin films were prepared by radio-frequency sputtering. The results of X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopic studies showed that the film was composed mainly of nano-amorphous particles with an average size of about 10nm. The conductivity was measured by using an alternating-current impedance technique at temperatures ranging from 283 to 373K. It was found that the film was a Li ion conductor, with a conductivity of 8 x 10-8S/cm at room temperature. The ionic conductivity varied, with temperature, according to an Arrhenius relationship with an activation energy of 0.25eV. This value was considered to be fairly low when compared with the values for various other Li+ conductors. This anomalous result was explained in terms of ion migration through the highly disordered interfaces of nano-particles.

Z.Li, X.Chen, X.Hu: Journal of Physics D, 1996, 29[11], 2740-4