Optical properties of graphene oxide coupled with 3D opal based photonic crystal

Abstract The suppression of the opal crystal luminescence under infiltration of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONP) into interglobular cavities of a photonic crystal (PC@GONP) was found. Additionally a 3-fold decrease of the Raman signal from the graphene oxide and a 10-fold increase of the PC@GONP absorbance were simultaneously found leading to an improved contrast of the PC and a 21 nm red shift of the optical transmittance minimum in the PC stop zone region. The comparison of the surface mapping of PC@GONP with GONP deposited on a Si/SiO2 (Si/SiO2@GONP) surface was done using D and G graphene Raman bands. Raman spectra details allowed to find noticeable changes in the D-to-G modes intensity ratio and their peak positions for both GONP-based samples suggesting their significant spectroscopic and structural heterogeneity. A small number of structural defects was observed in the PC@GONP that improve optical and crystalline properties of GONP. A Clear observation of the Raman active opal and GONP modes simultaneously with the appearance of the second order Raman bands within 2000–3500 cm−1 range that are absent in the Raman spectra of the pristine GONP suggests the formation of new bonds of graphene at the interface, a structural modification of the graphene oxide in the PC nanocavities, and a modification of Raman selection rules.