Electronic correlations and disorder in transport through one-dimensional nanoparticle arrays

TL;DR

This paper investigates the transport properties of one-dimensional metallic nanoparticle arrays, focusing on threshold behavior, I-V characteristics, and the effects of disorder, providing detailed analytical insights into their electrical response.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive analysis of charge transport in nanoparticle arrays, including the effects of disorder and the derivation of key voltage thresholds and slopes.

Findings

Current depends linearly on voltage near threshold with a size-independent slope.

Potential drop oscillates along the array at intermediate voltages.

Linear I-V curves at high voltages have a finite offset voltage.

Abstract

We analyze and clarify the transport properties of a one-dimensional metallic nanoparticle array with interaction between charges restricted to charges placed in the same conductor. We study the threshold voltage, the I-V curves and the potential drop through the array and their dependence on the array parameters including the effect of charge and resistance disorder. We show that very close to threshold the current depends linearly on voltage with a slope independent on the array size. At intermediate bias voltages, for which a Coulomb staircase is observed we find that the average potential drop through the array oscillates with position. At higher voltages I-V curves are linear but have a finite offset voltage. We show that the slope is given by the inverse of the resistances added in series and estimate the voltage at which this linear regime is reached. We also calculate the offset voltage and relate it to the potential drop through the array.