Theoretical Investigations of Optical Origins of Fluorescent Graphene Quantum Dots

The optical properties of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were investigated theoretically. We focused on the photoinduced charge transfer and electron-hole coherence of single-layer graphene in the electronic transitions in the visible regions. Surface functionalization with donor or acceptor groups produced a red shift in the absorption spectrum, and electrons and holes were highly delocalized. The recombination of excited, well-separated electron-hole (e-h) pairs can result in enhanced fluorescence. This fluorescence enhancement by surface functionalization occurs because of the decreased symmetry of the graphene resulting from the roughened structure of the surface-functionalized GQDs.