Ultra-Short Pulse Laser for Patterning High Quality Graphene Electrodes

Abstract

Ultra-Short pulse lasers are attractive for patterning organic layers on different substrates with the potential for non-equilibrium heating and non-linear absorption and thus with lesser damaged areas. This work demonstrates the novel application of ultra-fast picosecond (ps) laser in patterning graphene electrodes. Patterning occurs via ps laser ablation processes onto 3-stacked Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) graphene monolayers transferred onto quartz substrates. The stacking order of graphene layers onto the target substrates and their surface nanomorphology has been investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Two cases via ablative processes were studied using ps laser beam at 1064nm in the infrared and into the visible spectrum at 532nm. The surface topography of the graphene laser scribed stripes was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Optical Microscopy. It has been found that by using micro-processing graphene with the preferably pulse energy on 532nm, no substantial degradation of the underlying substrate occurs and high resolution micro-scribes are patterned with high electrical isolation. Green ultra-short pulse lasers for patterning graphene electrodes is a promising next generation technology and an emerging technique on the way of successful graphene industrialization.