Doping-dependent THz photoconductivity in large-area graphene

We have performed a systematic investigation of the transient terahertz photoconductivity of large-area CVD graphene following femtosecond optical excitation as a function of electrically-tuned carrier density. We observe a dramatic change in the transient response as the photoconductivity changes from positive to negative when the Fermi level is tuned from the charge neutrality point to the electron or hole doped regime. This effect is discussed within the context of the Drude model for free carriers, taking into account the elevated electron and phonon temperatures in photoexcited graphene. Our results demonstrate that previous conflicting measurements of terahertz photoconductivity in epitaxial and CVD graphene arise primarily from their different doping levels. Additionally, our measurements provide a link between ultrafast optical experiments and DC photocurrent measurements.