Analysis of charge transport in arrays of 28 kDa nanocrystal gold molecules

Abstract

Arrays of 28 kDa nanocrystal gold molecules behave as weakly-coupled molecular solids comprising discrete nanoscale metallic islands separated by insulating ligand barriers. The key parameters which are found to dominate charge transport are (a) the single-electron nanocrystal charging energy, governed by the core diameter, the dielectric properties of the passivating ligands and classical electrostatic coupling between neighbouring cores; (b) the inter-nanocrystal tunnel barrier resistance that arises from the insulating nature of the ligand bilayers that separate the cores; and (c) the dimensionality of the network of current-carrying paths.