Structure and conductivity of self-assembled films of gold nanoparticles

Self-assembled thin films of gold nanoparticles of 4-5 nm, prepared on glass using aliphatic dithiols of different hydrocarbon chain lengths as interparticle linker molecules, have been studied by x-ray methods and dc conductivity. X-ray data revealed small spacer-dependent cluster size variations in the films. Conductivity, in the temperature range of 4.2-300 K, showed a strong relation with spacer length, indicating that different mechanisms of conduction from metal-like through hopping to tunneling dominate, depending on temperature range and particle spacing. The results demonstrate that the electronic and optical properties of such films can be precisely controlled by interparticle distance. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.