Abstract
Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) generates images of surfaces using a probe that scans the specimen. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an extension of SPM. Ex situ STM and AFM are now widely used to characterize the surface morphology of a variety of samples. This paper introduces some important aspects of in situ SPM observation of interfacial phenomena in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). In situ SPM makes it possible to directly observe the electrode/electrolyte interface and therefore is a powerful technique for understanding interfacial phenomena in LIBs. By applying this technology to different thin film electrodes, the morphological changes of a composite electrode were studied and are described.