Tuning the transport gap of functionalized graphene via electron beam irradiation

We demonstrate a novel method to tune the energy gap ϵ1 between the localized states and the mobility edge of the valence band in chemically functionalized graphene by changing the coverage of fluorine adatoms via electron-beam irradiation. From the temperature dependence of the electrical transport properties we show that ϵ1 in partially fluorinated graphene CF0.28 decreases upon electron irradiation up to a dose of 0.08 C cm−2. For low irradiation doses (<0.1 C cm−2) partially fluorinated graphene behaves as a lightly doped semiconductor with impurity bands close to the conduction and valence band edges, whereas for high irradiation doses (>0.2 C cm−2) the electrical conduction takes place via Mott variable range hopping. (paper)