Parametric analysis of CW CO2 laser-induced graphene on polyimide

This study explores the synthesis of laser-induced graphene (LIG) on a polyimide substrate using a continuous-wave CO2 laser, focusing on optimizing laser power and scan speed to enhance the graphene quality. Raman spectroscopy of the laser-irradiated sample under ambient conditions confirmed the successful formation of graphene. Under optimized conditions of laser power (∼1 W) and scan speed (2 cm/s), defect density of ∼0.31 was estimated from the ratio of D-band to G-band intensity (ID/IG). Increasing laser power changed the LIG morphology from porous to fibrous structures. Numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics provided an insight into time evolution of maximum surface temperature during laser interaction, underscoring the need to balance power and scan speed for controlled thermal decomposition. This work demonstrates a streamlined approach to LIG synthesis on polyimide, paving the way for applications in electronics, sensors, and energy storage.