Electronic Transport in Metal Nanocrystal Arrays: The Effect of Structural Disorder on Scaling Behavior

Abstract

We investigate the impact of structural disorder on electronic transport in gold nanocrystal monolayers. Arrays ranging from void-filled networks to well-ordered superlattices show clear voltage thresholds $({V}_{\mathrm{T}})$ due to Coulomb blockade, and temperature-independent conduction indicative of quantum tunneling. Current-voltage characteristics of arrays with and without long-range structural order were found to collapse onto distinct scaling curves. The former follow a single power law: $I\ensuremath{\sim}({V\ensuremath{-}V}_{\mathrm{T}}{)}^{\ensuremath{\zeta}}$, $\ensuremath{\zeta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2.25\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$. The latter show additional structure, reflecting the underlying disordered topology.