Gate-Tunable Dirac Point of Molecular Doped Graphene

Control of the type and density of charge carriers in graphene is essential for its implementation into various practical applications. Here, we demonstrate the gate-tunable doping effect of adsorbed piperidine on graphene. By gradually increasing the amount of adsorbed piperidine, the graphene doping level can be varied from p- to n-type, with the formation of p-n junctions for intermediate coverages. Moreover, the doping effect of the piperidine can be further tuned by the application of large negative back-gate voltages, which increase the doping level of graphene. In addition, the electronic properties of graphene are well preserved due to the noncovalent nature of the interaction between piperidine and graphene. This gate-tunable doping offers an easy, controllable, and nonintrusive method to alter the electronic structure of graphene.