Organized planar nanostructures from ligand-stabilized nanoclusters: a route to molecular nanoelectronic devices

In present work, we describe the formation and deposition of mixed Langmuir monolayers composed of inert amphiphile molecular matrix and guest ligand-stabilized metal-core nanoclusters. Such approach allowed obtaining the ordered stable reproducible planar monolayer and multilayer nanocluster nanostructures on solid substrates. The use of novel polymeric Langmuir monolayers formed by amphiphilic polyelectrolytes and nanoclusters resulted in fabrication of ultimately thin monomolecular nanoscale-ordered stable planar polymeric nanocomposite films. Morphology and electron transport in fabricated nanostructures were studied experimentally using AFM and STM. The perspectives for nanoelectronic applications of organized planar nanostructures from ligand-stabilized nanoclusters are discussed. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved