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Preparation of arrays of metallic nanoparticles exhibiting coulomb blockade at room temperature: an approach based on the self‐organization of metal‐loaded diblock‐copolymers
Author(s) -
Dietrich Christof,
Koslowski Berndt,
Weigl Frank,
Ziemann Paul
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.2335
Subject(s) - coulomb blockade , materials science , nanoparticle , copolymer , quantum tunnelling , scanning electron microscope , nanotechnology , electrode , substrate (aquarium) , metal , condensed matter physics , optoelectronics , voltage , chemistry , composite material , electrical engineering , physics , transistor , oceanography , engineering , geology , metallurgy , polymer
The self‐organization of HAuCl 4 loaded poly (styrene)‐ block ‐poly (2‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P2VP) diblock‐copolymers resulting in hexagonally ordered arrays of Au nanoparticles is exploited to prepare a system exhibiting single electron charging effects at room temperature. For this purpose, the metallic nanoparticles are deposited on top of an Al 2 O 3 tunnel barrier separating them from a Niobium thin film backelectrode grown on a c‐cut Sapphire substrate. The single electron system is completed by the metal tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), which is positioned right above the nanoparticle and serves as the second electrode. The STM additionally allowed taking current‐voltage I (V) characteristics revealing a large gap around zero bias typical of a Coulomb blockade. This interpretation is supported by the good agreement between experimental I (V) curves and their theoretical description. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.