Light pulses control graphene’s electrical behavior

The ultrathin form of carbon known as graphene, which possesses exceptional electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, has emerged as the focus of research into numerous potential applications.

Using extremely short light pulses, researchers at MIT have now discovered a method for controlling the material’s electricity conductivity, which could make it suitable for use as a broadband light detector.

In a paper written by graduate student Alex Frenzel, Nuh Gedik, and three others, the brand-new findings are presented in the Physical Review Letters.The researchers discovered that they could alter the material’s response to a brief but intense light pulse by controlling the concentration of electrons in a graphene sheet.