TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The step of vacuum depositing comprises reactive magnetron sputtering, non-reactive magnetron sputtering, reactive diode sputtering, non-reactive diode sputtering, reactive electron beam evaporation, non-reactive electron beam evaporation, reactive electron beam directed vapor deposition, non-reactive electron beam directed vapor deposition, reactive plasma enhanced electron beam directed vapor deposition, non-reactive plasma enhanced electron beam directed vapor deposition, reactive thermal evaporation, non-reactive thermal evaporation, plasma assisted thermal evaporation, cathodic arc deposition, ion beam deposition, plasma assisted ion beam deposition, pulsed laser deposition, chemical vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The method further comprises adjusting an oxygen to lithium and vanadium ratio in a product of the step of sputter depositing the target by annealing the product in a gas atmosphere at greater than -195.8degreesC, or by sputter depositing the target in an atmosphere containing an oxygen partial pressure. Sputter depositing involves depositing a film comprising glassy, amorphous, nano-crystalline, or crystalline, and having a thickness of 0.005-5 mum. The method further comprises providing supplemental target material in precut grooves or segment to the target. Preferred Components: The supplemental target material comprises lithium nitride, lithium oxide, lithium peroxide, or lithium. It further comprises a doping material including hydrogen, beryllium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, rubidium, strontium, cesium, barium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, gallium, germanium, arsenic, indium, tin, antimony, thallium, lead, bismuth, scandium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, lanthanum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, or cerium. The apparatus further comprises an anode layer comprising magnesium, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, carbon, silicon germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, palladium, zinc, cadmium, silver, iridium, platinum, gold, Li4Ti5O12, lithium cobalt nitride, lithium manganese nitride, SnNx, InNx, ZnNx, CuNx, NiNx, silicon tin oxynitride, SnOx, InOx, or PbOx. The anode layer comprises a metallic lithium anode layer. The apparatus further comprises a barrier layer comprising Lipon, graphitic carbon, diamond-like carbon, aluminum nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, titanium nitride, titanium oxynitride, titanium boride, titanium silicide, titanium carbide, vanadium nitride, vanadium carbide, vanadium silicide, vanadium boride, chromium nitride, chromium carbide, chromium boride, chromium silicide, yttrium nitride, yttrium silicide, yttrium carbide, yttrium boride, zirconium nitride, zirconium carbide, zirconium boride, zirconium silicide, niobium nitride, niobium carbide, niobium boride, niobium silicide, molybdenum nitride, molybdenum carbide, molybdenum boride, molybdenum silicide, hafnium nitride, hafnium carbide, hafnium boride, hafnium silicide, tantalum nitride, tantalum carbide, tantalum boride, tantalum silicide, tungsten nitride, tungsten carbide, tungsten boride, or tungsten silicide. The apparatus comprises a cathode current collector comprising aluminum, titanium vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, palladium, silver, iridium, platinum gold, copper tin, phosphor bronze, or stainless steel; and an anode current collector including scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, copper tin, phosphor bronze, or stainless steel. The electrolyte layer comprises lithium aluminum fluoride or lithium aluminum chloride. The cathode layer has a film with a thickness of 0.005-20 mum.x (for SnNx) = greater than 0 and at most 1.33;x (for InNx) = greater than 0 and at most 1;x (for ZnNx) = greater than 0 and at most 0.67;x (for NiNx and CuNx = greater than 0 and at most 1.33;x (for SnOx and PbOx) = greater than 0 and at most 2;x (for InOx) = greater than 0 and at most1.5.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Materials: The substrate is in the form of a foil, sheet, plate, ribbon, or round. It comprises a metal, an alloy, polyester, polyimide, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyalcohol, rubber, silicone, a ceramic, semi-conductor, silicon, graphite, or glass. The electrolyte comprises a polymer lithium electrolyte.