Tuning the work function of graphene by ultraviolet irradiation

Graphene layers grown by chemical vapor deposition were, respectively, irradiated for 0, 20, 40, and 60 min by an ultraviolet light source in order to experimentally study the change in the work function of graphene. The dependences of the work function and carrier concentration upon ultraviolet irradiation have been found. It is shown that ultraviolet irradiation may lead to oxygen desorption, thus reducing the hole density and work function of graphene. Based on the well-known expression for the Fermi energy of Dirac fermions, the Fermi velocity of graphene was extracted to be about 5.2 x 10(5) m/s. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.