Special CMP Seminar
		        Thursday, March 7, 2002
	    11:30 am, Room 224 Physics-Astronomy Building


		   Gold Nanocrystal Arrays: Synthesis, 
		 Self-Assembly and Electronic Transport

			      Xiao-Min Lin
			 James Franck Institute
			  University of Chicago

				Abstract


Chemical synthesis of nanocrystals is one of the most efficient ways to
create nano-size building blocks for future electronic devices. Kinetically
controlled syntheses have been developed in the past decade to obtain
monodispersed semiconductor and metallic nanocrystals. We have discovered
an alternative digestive ripening process to synthesize monodispsed gold
nanocrystals.  Much like normal atoms, colloidal nanocrystals can form 3D
superlattices due to long range van der Waals interaction. By controlling
the dewetting of the solvent, highly long-range ordered nanocrystal
monolayers and bilayers can also be formed on silicon nitride substrate.
Lateral patterning of nanocrystals on the solid substrate can be achieved
by combining the self-assembly process with standard electron beam
lithography.  These new techniques allow us to study the electronic
transport through tunneling junction arrays at a length scale that has been
impossible to achieve previously. Coulomb blockade of individual
nanocrystals causes high voltage thresholds and nonlinear current voltage
curve.  Robust power law scaling behavior was observed in highly ordered
nanocrystal arrays, while deviation from single power law was found in
disordered arrays. These phenomena were attributed to both the charge
disorder and the structural disorder.


 Curriculum Vitae:

Fellow – University of Chicago-Argonne National Laboratory Consortium 
	 for Nanoscale Research.  (2001-present)

Postdoctoral Fellow - The James Franck Institute, The University of
	 Chicago. (2000- 2001) Advisor: Prof. Heinrich M. Jaeger

Ph.D. Condensed Matter Physics - Kansas State University (1999)
         Advisor:  Prof. Christopher M. Sorensen

M.S. Inorganic Chemistry - Kansas State University (1999)
         Advisor:  Prof. Kenneth. J. Klabunde.

M.S. Condensed Matter Physics - Shanghai JiaoTong University (1994)
         Advisor:  Prof. Hong Sun

B.S. Applied Physics (Major) - Shanghai JiaoTong University (1991)

B.S. Telecommunication Engineering (Minor) - Shanghai JiaoTong 
	 University (1991)