Laser Cleaning Cylindrical Cells for Optimum Wire Bondability

Reliable ultrasonic aluminum wire bonding of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells depends strongly on the cleanliness and chemical state of the cell terminal surfaces. Residual organic contaminants and native oxide layers originating from manufacturing and handling can impair bond formation and reduce process yield. Laser cleaning is a promising non-contact surface preparation method; however, its effects on terminal surface chemistry and integrity under manufacturing-relevant conditions require further clarification. In this work, a single production-relevant pulsed laser cleaning parameter set was applied to commercially available cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells. The surfaces were characterized in terms of elemental composition, surface morphology, and residual organic contamination using complementary analytical techniques, including XRF, SEM-EDX, and LC-MS. The results show that laser cleaning induces measurable surface changes consistent with improved wire bondability while preserving nickel and aluminum terminal metallization. These findings support laser cleaning as a scalable pre-bond surface preparation method for battery pack manufacturing.