Reversible optical doping of graphene

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the charge carrier density in graphene can be reversibly tuned using visible light, revealing environmental influences and potential for optically gated devices, while also challenging assumptions about Raman spectroscopy's non-invasiveness.

Contribution

It introduces a reversible, light-induced doping method for graphene and explores how substrate cleaning and suspension affect this process.

Findings

Reversible doping achieved with visible photons.

Substrate cleaning influences doping effectiveness.

Doping vanishes in suspended graphene.

Abstract

The ultimate surface exposure provided by graphene monolayer makes it the ideal sensor platform but also exposes its intrinsic properties to any environmental perturbations. In this work, we demonstrate that the charge carrier density of graphene exfoliated on a SiO$_2$/Si substrate can be finely and reversibly tuned between electron and hole doping with visible photons. This photo-induced doping happens under moderate laser power conditions but is significantly affected by the substrate cleaning method. In particular, it is found to require hydrophilic substrates and to vanish in suspended graphene. These findings suggest that optically gated graphene devices operating with a sub-second time scale can be envisioned but also that Raman spectroscopy is not always as non-invasive as generally assumed.