Processing of lithium metal for the production of post-lithium-ion batteries using a pulsed nanosecond fiber laser

Lithium metal is a favored anode material in various post-lithium-ion battery types. Developing processing routines for lithium anodes is necessary to pave the way for large-format lithium metal batteries. Laser cutting is a feasible production process to create the required electrode contours. In the scope of this work, model calculations were used to derive implications of the cell design on the relevant range of lithium layer thicknesses. Furthermore, nanosecond-pulsed laser cutting was evaluated for separating 50 μm-thick lithium foils. Cause-effect relationships between process parameters and quality criteria were analyzed through empirical investigations. The ablation thresholds for various pulse durations were determined experimentally. Different process regimes were identified using scanning electron microscopy with explosive boiling at high fluences as the most efficient ablation mechanism enabling cutting speeds of up to 6.6 m s−1. The influence of the peak pulse fluence, the pulse frequency, the pulse duration, and the pulse overlap on the formation of melt superelevations at the cut edge was studied using laser scanning microscopy. The presented results contribute to a better understanding of the nanosecond-pulsed laser process and provide a basis for developing tailored process strategies for laser cutting of lithium metal within industrial-scale battery production.