Towards individual electrical contact of nanoparticles in nanocomposites

A new technological approach that will allow contacting individual nano-objects is presented. An ultrathin nanocomposite layer is formed by embedding semiconductor and metal nanoparticles in a highly insulating epoxy based negative photoresist. The role of the photoresist is to support and electrically insulate the nanoparticles. In order to perform electrical contacts, an array of gold micro/nano-electrodes has been defined by electron beam lithography on top of the nanocomposite layer. Promising initial results of the electrical characterization are presented, evidencing significant differences between bare resist and nanocomposite films. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.