CONDENSATION OF ORDERED NANOCRYSTAL THIN-FILMS

45 Angstrom diameter dodecanethiol capped gold nanocrystals self-organ ize during solvent evaporation on a carbon substrate, with the final t hickness of the nanocrystal film depending on solvent polarity. A quan titative model for the film thickness is presented, showing the film s tructure (thickness) to depend on the balance of van der Waals attract ion between the particles themselves and between the particles and the substrate. This attraction influences the film thickness while permit ting nanocrystal self-organization into hexagonal close-packed structu res. Model predictions and measured film thicknesses agree well.