Properties of monolayers at electrified interfaces and their applications at the nanoscale

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In the last decade, nanostructured materials have taken great strides in moving from scientific curiosities to components of real-world applications. For example, individual and arrays of metal nanoparticles can be used as building blocks to fabricate truly beneficial devices for biosensing applications. However, there is much that remains unclear about these nanoparticles, particularly when it comes to controlling their reactivity and assembly. The properties of these nanoparticles are intrinsically linked to the behaviour of the thin molecular films that surround the metal core. The purpose of this research is to probe the physical and chemical behaviour of these single-molecule thick layers. We are particularly interested in determining how electric fields influence the adsorption and stabilizing abilities of these organic molecules. We feel that if we understand the properties of the monolayers we will be able to control the properties of the nanoparticles. Our approach could lead to an elegant means to produce new devices for the manipulation of light based on assemblies of nanosized building blocks. These devices would have applications in the field of photonics and ultrasensitive biosensing.