Large Array of Sub‐10‐nm Single‐Grain Au Nanodots for use in Nanotechnology

Abstract A uniform array of single‐grain Au nanodots, as small as 5–8 nm, can be formed on silicon using e‐beam lithography. The as‐fabricated nanodots are amorphous, and thermal annealing converts them to pure Au single crystals covered with a thin SiO₂ layer. These findings are based on physical measurements, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), atomic‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, and chemical techniques using energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. A self‐assembled organic monolayer is grafted on the nanodots and characterized chemically with nanometric lateral resolution. The extended uniform array of nanodots is used as a new test‐bed for molecular electronic devices.