Raman spectroscopy study on the reactions of UV-generated oxygen atoms with single-layer graphene on SiO₂/Si substrates

Successful application of graphene requires development of various tools for its chemical modification. In this paper, we present a Raman spectroscopic investigation of the effects of UV light on single layer graphene with and without the presence of $O_2$ molecules. The UV emission from a low pressure Hg lamp photolyzes $O_2$ molecules into O atoms, which are known to form epoxy on the basal plane of graphene. The resulting surface epoxy groups were identified by the disorder-related Raman D band. It was also found that adhesive residues present in the graphene samples prepared by micro-mechanical exfoliation using adhesive tape severely interfere with the O atom reaction with graphene. The UV-induced reaction was also successfully applied to chemical vapor deposition-grown graphene. Since the current method can be readily carried out in ambient air only with UV light, it will be useful in modifying the surfaces of graphene and related materials.