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Abstract: Single-electron tunneling devices based on self-assembled gold nanoparticles have been fabricated. Two main transport mechanisms were found to interpret the conductive behaviors of the devices. One is attributed to the electron emission, and the other is depended on the bias tunneling with asymmetrical tunnel barriers. The resemblant Coulomb Blockade response was measured at room temperature. The charging energy is estimated to be much larger than the thermal energy. The Coulomb Island sizes calculated from the experimental data are consistent with the size range of the gold nanoparticles used in the self-assembly fabrication. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mesoporous silica thin films (MSTFs) synthesized by evaporation-induced self-assembly were loaded with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The TEM and XRD characterizations showed that the template of MSTF possessed a well-ordered mesostructure, and GNPs can be well crystallized in the thin film by neutralization and hydrogen-reduction reactions. The z-scan technique was used for studying the nonlinear optical properties of the GNPs/MSTF nanocomposite. The results showed that this kind of material was possessed of a relatively feeble nonlinear absorption but an obvious nonlinear refraction. The nonlinear refractive index was estimated to be 7.9 × 10−11 cm2/W and the theoretical fitting well matched with the measured data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coulomb blockade mediated field-emission current was observed in single-electron tunneling devices based on self-assembled gold nanoparticles at 300 K. According to Raichev's theoretical model, by fixing a proper geometric distribution of source, island and drain, the transfer characteristics can be well explained through a combination of Coulomb blockade and field emission. Coulomb blockade and field emission alternately happen in our self-assembled devices. The Coulomb island size derived from the experimental data is in good agreement with the average size of the gold nanoparticles used in the device. The integrated tunneling can be adjusted via a gate electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]