Electron-beam-induced conduction in a ruthenium carbonyl nanoparticle polymer

A polymer composed of ruthenium carbonyl and of the formula [Ru6C(CO)(15)Ph 2PCCPPh2](n) has been synthesized. It is found to behave as a negative elec tron-beam resist with a sensitivity of 400 C/m(2). Upon exposure to the ele ctron beam, the electrical conductivity of the patterned films is found to vary over seven orders of magnitude according to a power-law dependence on dose. Temperature dependence of the conductivity is studied, and the conduc tion is attributed to variable-range hopping between ruthenium supercluster s in two dimensions. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00 )01913-6].