Quantised double layer charging of monolayer-protected clusters in a room temperature ionic liquid

Controlled assembly and single electron charging of monolayer protected Au144 clusters: an electrochemistry and scanning tunneling spectroscopy study

Single gold particles may serve as room temperature single electron memory units because of their size dependent electronic level spacing. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study by electrochemically controlled scanning probe experiments performed on tailor-made Au particles of narrow dispersity. In particular, the charge transport characteristics through chemically synthesized hexane-1-thiol and 4-pyridylbenzene-1-thiol mixed monolayer protected Au(144) clusters (MPCs) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical scanning tunneling spectroscopy (EC-STS) are reported. The pyridyl groups exposed by the Au-MPCs enable their immobilization on Pt(111) substrates. By varying the humidity during their deposition, samples coated by stacks of compact monolayers of Au-MPCs or decorated with individual, laterally separated Au-MPCs are obtained. DPV experiments with stacked monolayers of Au(144)-MPCs and EC-STS experiments with laterally separated individual Au(144)-MPCs are performed both in aqueous and ionic liquid electrolytes. Lower capacitance values were observed for individual clusters compared to ensemble clusters. This trend remains the same irrespective of the composition of the electrolyte surrounding the Au(144)-MPC. However, the resolution of the energy level spacing of the single clusters is strongly affected by the proximity of neighboring particles.

On the application potential of gold nanoparticles in nanoelectronics and biomedicine

Ligand-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are of high interest to research dedicated to future technologies such as nanoelectronics or biomedical applications. This research interest arises from the unique size-dependent properties such as surface plasmon resonance or Coulomb charging effects. It is shown here how the unique properties of individual AuNPs and AuNP assemblies can be used to create new functional materials for applications in a technical or biological environment. While the term technical environment focuses on the potential use of AuNPs as subunits in nanoelectronic devices, the term biological environment addresses issues of toxicity and novel concepts of controlling biomolecular reactions on the surface of AuNPs.

Device variability and circuit redundancy in signal processing based on nanoswitches

Signal processing based on molecular switches whose conductance can be tuned by an external stimulus between two (on and off) states has been proposed recently (Cervera et al 2008 J. Appl. Phys. 104 084317). The basic building block is a metal nanoparticle linked to two electrodes by an organic ligand and a nanoswitch. The net charge delivered by this nanostructure exhibits a sharp resonance when the alternating potential applied between the electrodes has the same frequency as the periodic variation between the on and off conductance states induced on the nanoswitch. This resonance can be used to process an external signal by selectively extracting the weight of the different harmonics. However, because of the fabrication process at the nanoscale, the nanostructures will show a significant variability in the physical characteristics. By using a phenomenological model that includes this variability, the stochastic nature of electron transference, and the thermal noise, we demonstrate that reliable signal processing can still be achieved by adapting the number of nanoswitches per bit of information (circuit redundancy) to the nanostructure tolerance (device variability). Extensive kinetic Monte Carlo simulations show that a moderate level of redundancy can compensate for significant nanostructure variability. This result gives support to the concept of ensembles of redundant switches as reliable components for signal processing at the nanoscale.