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

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.