Electric Transport in Gold-Covered Sodium-Alginate Free-Standing Foils

Year: 2021

Authors: Barone C., Bertoldo M., Capelli R., Dinelli F., Maccagnani P., Martucciello N., Mauro C., Pagano S.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Salerno, Dipartimento Fis ER Caianiello, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy; Univ Salerno, CNR, SPIN Salerno, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy; Univ Salerno, Grp Collegato Salerno, Ist Nazl Fis Nucl, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy; Univ Ferrara, Dipartimento Sci Chim Farmaceut & Agr, Via L Borsari 46, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy; CNR, Ist Sintesi Organ & Fotoreatt, Via P Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy; Univ Modena & Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento Ingn E Ferrari, I-41125 Modena, Italy; CNR, Ist Officina Mat, SS 14,Km 163-5 Area Sci Pk, I-34012 Trieste, Italy; Univ Johannesburg, Dept Phys, POB 524, ZA-2006 Auckland Pk, South Africa; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott, Via G Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; CNR, Ist Microelettron & Microsistemi, Via P Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy.

Abstract: The electric transport properties of flexible and transparent conducting bilayers, realized by sputtering ultrathin gold nanometric layers on sodium-alginate free-standing films, were studied. The reported results cover a range of temperatures from 3 to 300 K. In the case of gold layer thicknesses larger than 5 nm, a typical metallic behavior was observed. Conversely, for a gold thickness of 4.5 nm, an unusual resistance temperature dependence was found. The dominant transport mechanism below 70 K was identified as a fluctuation-induced tunneling process. This indicates that the conductive region is not continuous but is formed by gold clusters embedded in the polymeric matrix. Above 70 K, instead, the data can be interpreted using a phenomenological model, which assumes an anomalous expansion of the conductive region upon decreasing the temperature, in the range from 300 to 200 K. The approach herein adopted, complemented with other characterizations, can provide useful information for the development of innovative and green optoelectronics.

Journal/Review: NANOMATERIALS

Volume: 11 (3)      Pages from: 565-1  to: 565-9

More Information: C.B., N.M., C.M., and S.P. acknowledge partial support from the University of Salerno through grants 300391FRB17PAGAN, 300391FRB18CAVAL, and 300391FRB19PAGAN. INFN is also gratefully acknowledged through experiments SIMP, FEEL, and DARTWARS.
KeyWords: biopolymers; electric transport measurements; gold thin films
DOI: 10.3390/nano11030565

Citations: 4
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