Photoinduced Deposition of Size-Controlled Gold Nanoclusters onto the Self-Assembled Monolayer of 1,9-Nonanedithiol

Gold nanoclusters are formed photochemically in organic solvent to give nanometer-scale islands on the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 1,9-nonanedithiol. The size and shape are variable by choosing electron-donating organic solvents. In ethanol, the plate-like nanoclusters are produced with layer-bylayer growth to give atomically flat top. The nano-structures are formed in N, N-dimethylformamide to give larger size than those in ethanol under comparable conditions.