Single electron transfer in thermally annealed nanoparticle dropcast thick films

Abstract

A very simple and effective procedure based on thermal annealing was reported in inducing discrete charge transfer in nanoparticle solid films. The particle ensembles were prepared by dropcasting a particle solution onto an interdigitated array electrode. The as-prepared particle films exhibited only linear featureless current-potential profiles in conductivity measurements, whereas after thermal annealing, well-defined staircase features of single electron transfer started to emerge at temperatures higher than 300 K. This was accounted for by the combined consequence of structural rearrangements of nanoparticle cores within the organic protecting matrix and thermal activation of interparticle charge transport.

Kinetics and Low Temperature Studies of Electron Transfers in Films of Small (<2 nm) Au Monolayer Protected Clusters

“…Among the research reports on electron transfers (ET) between Au MPCs, most have dealt with MPCs in a solvent-wetted state − and fewer with Au MPC ETs in a solvent-dry state − or at temperatures below 200 K. − The present work departs from most previous studies of ETs by using highly monodisperse samples of Au MPCs of, or approaching, molecular size and characterizing their ET kinetics in dry (solvent-free), amorphous films containing set proportions of donors and acceptors. Utilizing the core-charging voltammetry of highly monodisperse small Au MPC solutions, solid-state films containing known states of electronic charging of the MPC cores can be prepared.…”