Dependence of the Energy Transfer to Graphene on the Excitation Energy

TL;DR

This study investigates how excitation wavelength affects energy transfer efficiency from photosynthetic complexes to graphene, revealing wavelength-dependent variations and potential for optical control in photonic applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the wavelength-dependent energy transfer efficiency to graphene, highlighting the potential for optical control in graphene-based photonic and sensing devices.

Findings

Energy transfer efficiency varies with excitation wavelength

Ultraviolet excitation yields higher transfer efficiency (87%)

Longer wavelengths result in lower efficiency (65%)

Abstract

Fluorescence studies of natural photosynthetic complexes on a graphene layer demonstrate pronounced influence of the excitation wavelength on the energy transfer efficiency to graphene. Ultraviolet light yields much faster decay of fluorescence, with average efficiencies of the energy transfer equal to 87% and 65% for excitation at 405 nm and 640 nm, respectively. This implies that focused light changes locally the properties of graphene affecting the energy transfer dynamics, in an analogous way as in the case of metallic nanostructures. Demonstrating optical control of the energy transfer is important for exploiting unique properties of graphene in photonic and sensing architectures.