Photoconductivity of biased graphene

Graphene is a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors, terahertz imagers and plasmonic devices. The origin of the photoresponse in graphene junctions has been studied extensively and is attributed to either thermoelectric or photovoltaic effects. In addition, hot carrier transport and carrier multiplication are thought to play an important role. Here, we report the intrinsic photoresponse in biased but otherwise homogeneous graphene. In this classic photoconductivity experiment, the thermoelectric effects are insignificant. Instead, the photovoltaic and a photo-induced bolometric effect dominate the photoresponse. The measured photocurrent displays polarity reversal as it alternates between these two mechanisms in a backgate voltage sweep. Our analysis yields elevated electron and phonon temperatures, with the former an order higher than the latter, shedding light on the understanding of the hot electron-driven photoresponse in graphene and its energy loss pathway via phonons. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited.