Described herein is a method to fabricate porous thin-film electrodes for
fuel cells and fuel cell stacks. Furthermore, the method can be used for
all fuel cell electrolyte materials which utilize a continuous electrolyte
layer. An electrode layer is deposited on a porous host structure by
flowing gas (for example, Argon) from the bottomside of the host structure
while simultaneously depositing a conductive material onto the topside of
the host structure. By controlling the gas flow rate through the pores,
along with the process conditions and deposition rate of the thin-film
electrode material, a film of a pre-determined thickness can be formed.
Once the porous electrode is formed, a continuous electrolyte thin-film is
deposited, followed by a second porous electrode to complete the fuel cell
structure.
