Room temperature single electron transistor with two-dimensional array of Au–SiO₂core–shell nanoparticles

The composite nanoparticles of gold core coated with SiO2 shell have been fabricated into 2-dimensional array on a silicon surface by a simple self-assembly method combined with the technique of AFM (atomic force microscopy) nanolithography. The double-barrier-tunneling junction with AFM tip was also fabricated for the room-temperature single-electron tunneling study, by which the AFM tip was orientated on the surface of the SiO2 coated gold composite nanoparticles. The 2D array shows well-pronounced Coulomb staircases with a period of 200 mV at room temperature, demonstrating single electron transistor behavior.