title: Charge transport in cellular nanoparticle networks: meandering through nanoscale mazes.
abstract: The transport of electrons through topologically complex two-dimensional Au nanoparticle networks has been investigated using a combination of low temperature (4.5 K) direct current I(V) measurements and numerical simulations. Intricate, spatially correlated nanostructured networks were formed via spin-casting. The topological complexity of the nanoparticle assemblies produces I(V) curves associated with nonlinearity exponents, zeta approximately 4.0. Simulations based on tunneling transport in sparse and inhomogeneous planar networks are used to elucidate the influence of topology on the value of zeta.
authors.affiliation: The School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Blunt
authors.forename: Milovan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suvakov
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pulizzi
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pauliac-Vaujour
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stannard
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Rushforth
authors.forename: Bosiljka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tadić
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moriarty
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004579:Electron Transport; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D055672:Static Electricity; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D006046:Gold