Laser micromachining of oxygen reduced graphene-oxide films

Non-conductive graphene-oxide (GO) inks can be synthesized from inexpensive graphite powders and deposited on functionalized flexible substrates using inkjet printing technology. Once deposited, the electrical conductivity of the GO film can be restored through laser assisted thermal reduction. Unfortunately, the inkjet nozzle diameter (~40μm) places a limit on the printed feature size. In contrast, a tightly focused femtosecond pulsed laser can create precise micro features with dimensions in the order of 2 to 3 μm. The smallest feature size produced by laser microfabrication is a function of the laser beam diameter, power level, feed rate, material characteristics and spatial resolution of the micropositioning system. Laser micromachining can also remove excess GO film material adjacent to the electrode traces and passive electronic components. Excess material removal is essential for creating stable oxygen-reduced graphene-oxide (rGO) printed circuits because electron buildup along the feature edges will alter the conductivity of the non-functional film. A study on the impact of laser ablation on the GO film and the substrate are performed using a 775nm, 120fs pulsed laser. The average laser power was 25mW at a spot size of ~ 5μm, and the feed rate was 1000-1500mm/min. Several simple microtraces were fabricated and characterized in terms of electrical resistance and surface topology.