C – V characteristics and DLTS spectra of heterostructures made up of layers of closely packed amorphous Si nanoparticles deposited by laser electrodispersion onto single-crystal p -Si substrates have been examined. The patterns observed in the behavior of the C – V characteristics and DLTS spectra measured in the dark and under illumination with white light at various bias pulse voltages U _ b and filling pulse voltages U _ f suggest that the spatially localized amorphous Si nanoparticles have an average size of less than 2 nm, which is comparable with the de Broglie electron wavelength, and are characterized by quantum confinement. The ground and excited states of quantum dots are formed and exhibit the Stark effect and effects of electricdipole and controllable metastable occupancy under illumination.

The temperature dependences of the capacitance-voltage characteristics and the deep-level spectra of the Au – n-Si: Au – Si – p-Si heterostructure based on the composite layer of Au and Si nanoparticles are studied. At a temperature of 300 K, the structure exhibits the properties of a transistor connected in a circuit with a common emitter and a disconnected base and with a Schottky emitter barrier between the point contact Au and the n- (Si: Au) layer. In this layer, nanoparticles form finite clusters, where the conductivity will be hopping, and charge accumulation is observed in the region of the Au contact. At a measurement temperature below 180 K, as a result of the percolation effect, the system moves from the phase of the final cluster to the phase of an infinite cluster exhibiting metallic properties in the lateral plane of the heterostructure, which turns into a p-n diode.