Manipulating the Charging Energy of Nanocrystal Arrays

The electronic properties of metal nanocrystal quantum dot solids in the insulating state have been measured as a function of nanocrystal diameter under conditions of controlled inter-nanocrystal separation. Such properties of these weakly coupled nanocrystal arrays (see image), in particular the array charging energy, can be manipulated through experimental control of the nanocrystal diameter and mean inter-nanocrystal separation.