Integration of Individual Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles into Nanoelectrode Configurations: Recent Advances.

Chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted much interest for application in various technologically relevant fields including nanoelectronics. In this particular research area, the most promising approach to take full advantage of the tunability in size, shape, and ligand composition of nanoparticles is the integration of a well‐defined number of AuNPs into a nanoscale device. This short review highlights recent progress in the introduction of AuNP into nanoelectronic circuitry by means of selected examples, that demonstrate a "proof‐of‐concept". Synthetic concepts to obtain isotropic and Janus‐like particles as well as lithographic techniques that allow for the fabrication of nanoelectrode structures, which enable the electrical addressing of individual nanoparticles, are presented. A particular focus of this work is the question of how distinct molecular properties can be addressed in a technologically applicable device geometry by controlling the molecular functionalities in the proximity of semiconductor technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]