Advanced laser material processing is a perfect tool for precise adjustment or tuning of surface properties of polymers, metals and ceramics. Different process strategies were developed and applied in order to realize localized chemical patterns, defined morphological structures or topographical modifications at the micro-and nanometer scale.
In recent work laser-assisted surface functionalization was applied to nano-scaled and amorphous thin films and shows a great potential for various application fields such as biological surfaces, tribological systems and thin film lithium-ion batteries. For this purpose, we have combined r.f. magnetron sputtering and subsequent laser material processing of nano-scaled thin film electrode materials (LiCoO2, SnO2) and amorphous carbon layers (a-C:H, a-C:O). In the latter case it was possible to adjust the wetting behavior and surface energy by a photolytically driven chemical modification as well as by surface structuring on micro-and nanometer scale. Laser structuring and surface modification of electrode materials for lithiumion batteries was applied to significantly improve the electrochemical cycling stability, especially for increased electrical discharge currents. The modified surfaces were studied with regard to their chemical composition, morphology and electrochemical properties.