Solid-State Single Electron Transfer of Nanoparticle Monolayers

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Professor Shaowei Chen is supported by the NSF Analytical and Surface Chemistry program to study the electron transfer properties of nanoparticle solid films. In this project, the focus will be on electrochemical studies of monolayers of organically capped nanoparticles which will be prepared either directly at the air|water interface by the Langmuir method or by deposition onto an electrode surface by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. In these studies, the interparticle separations will be deliberately varied and their effects on the ensemble electronic conductivity properties will be carefully and systematically examined. The direct correlation between the ensemble structures and electron-transfer properties will then be exploited to identify and optimize related structural parameters so that single electron transfer in nanoparticle solid assemblies can be achieved. The fundamental insights that are obtained here may serve as the fundamental basis for the development of nanoparticle-based single electron transistors. These research activities will be integrated closely with several outreach programs specifically targeting disadvantaged or underrepresented students.