Preparation of high quality electrical insulator self-assembled monolayers on gold. Experimental investigation of the conduction mechanism through organic thin films.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) form highly ordered, stable dielectrics on conductive surfaces. Being able to attach larger-area contacts in a MIM (metal-insulator-metal) diode, their electrical properties can be determined. In this paper, the electrical conduction through thiolate SAMs of different alkyl chain lengths formed on gold surfaces were studied and discussed.