Electric field quenching of graphene oxide photoluminescence

With the advent of graphene, there has been an interest in utilizing this material and its derivative, graphene oxide (GO) for novel applications in nanodevices such as bio and gas sensors, solid-state supercapacitors and solar cells. Although GO exhibits lower conductivity and structural stability, it possesses an energy band gap that enables fluorescence emission in the visible/near infrared leading to a plethora of optoelectronic applications. In order to allow fine-tuning of its optical properties in the device geometry, new physical techniques are required that, unlike existing chemical approaches, yield substantial alteration of GO structure. Such a desired new technique is one that is electronically controlled and leads to reversible changes in GO optoelectronic properties. In this work, we for the first time investigate the methods to controllably alter the optical response of GO with the electric field and provide theoretical modeling of the electric field-induced changes. Field-dependent GO emission is studied in bulk GO/polyvinylpyrrolidone films with up to 6% reversible decrease under 1.6 V µm-1 electric fields. On an individual flake level, a more substantial over 50% quenching is achieved for select GO flakes in a polymeric matrix between interdigitated microelectrodes subject to two orders of magnitude higher fields. This effect is modeled on a single exciton level by utilizing Wentzel, Kremer, and Brillouin approximation for electron escape from the exciton potential well. In an aqueous suspension at low fields, GO flakes exhibit electrophoretic migration, indicating a degree of charge separation and a possibility of manipulating GO materials on a single-flake level to assemble electric field-controlled microelectronics. As a result of this work, we suggest the potential of varying the optical and electronic properties of GO via the electric field for the advancement and control over its optoelectronic device applications.