Construction of hybrid films of silver nanoparticles and polypyridine ruthenium complexes on substrates.

Hybrid films of functional molecules and metal nanoparticles have been considered to be novel photo-functional devices. Here we have successfully constructed hybrid films of silver nanoparticles and ruthenium polypyridine derivatives on substrates. In order to hybridise them on a surface, a self-assembled monolayer method via chemical bond formation and electro-reductive polymerisation (thick layers) via physical attachment have been employed. These methods have the advantage of convenient and reproducible fabrication of complicated hybrid films. Furthermore, it has been clarified that these hybrid films show unique photo-functional behaviours, such as enhanced photocurrent generation.