Microelectronic Engineering 69 (2003) 536–548 www.elsevier.com / locate / mee Molecular cluster based nanoelectronics a, b c a d * E.S. Soldatov , S.P. Gubin , I.A. Maximov , G.B. Khomutov ,V.V. Kolesov , a a e a A.N. Sergeev-Cherenkov ,V.V. Shorokhov , K.S. Sulaimankulov , D.B. Suyatin a Faculty of Physics, M. V . Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorob’ evy Gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia b N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia c Lund University, Solvegatan 14 A, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden d Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 103907, Moscow, Russia e Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, National Academy of Sciences, 720071, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Abstract The use of molecular clusters as a basis of molecular single-electronic systems is considered experimentally and theoretically. The Langmuir–Blodgett formation and scanning tunneling microscope study of structures with chemically different cluster molecules is described. I –V curves and control curves of molecular single-electron transistors based on various single molecules were studied at room temperature. Comparison of experimental I –V curves with simulated ones allows us to identify a regime of slow energy relaxation of electrons in experimental transistors. Experimental study of electron transport through the planar molecular nanosystems has shown a correlated character of electron tunneling in such systems.  2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Nanocluster; Langmuir–Blodgett film; Single-electron tunneling; Molecular electronics; Nanoelectronics 1. Introduction as power consumption and dissipation by conven- tional semiconductor transistors. Beside that, the The general challenge in microelectronics is cur- influence of surface defects becomes more essential rently the transition to nano-sized functional ele- in nano-sized element functioning. The density of the ments. This will result in a dramatic increase of element arrangement on a crystal is limited not only integration, productivity, utilization of quantum ef- by its size but also by high power consumption fects (including quantum computing), and general leading to circuit destruction. Thus, the elaboration miniaturization decrease in size and weight of final of new principles and materials for information devices. The characteristic size of a single element processing is now very important [2]. (transistor) strongly restricts the possibilities of The effect of single electron tunneling (SET) conventional microelectronics technologies [1]. First, offers extremely interesting possibilities in the crea- it is connected with the resolution limits of the tion of elemental bases for new generation of nano- modern lithographic equipment (about 5 nm) as well electronic devices. At present, the SET transistor is considered as one of the prospective candidates for a future nano-circuit element [3]. Such an element can *Corresponding author. Tel.: 17-095-939-3978; fax: 17-095- have considerably smaller power consumption and 939-3000. E-mail address: esold@cryop73.phys.msu.su (E.S. Soldatov). size in comparison with conventional ones. This 0167-9317 / 03 / $ – see front matter  2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016 / S0167-9317(03)00344-7