Development of correlated quasiparticle conductance peak as molecule-linked gold nanoparticle films transition from Mott-insulator to metal phases

We have studied conductance ($g$) of butanedithiol-linked gold nanoparticle films across a percolation insulator-to-metal transition. As the transition proceeds, electrons become itinerant (i.e. Coulomb charging and kinetic effects are both significant), and films exhibit a previously unobserved zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP). The peak is much more pronounced and easily observed using electromigration-induced break junction (BJ) contacts rather than macroscopic 4-probe electrodes. We attribute this ZBCP to quantum correlations amongst electrons, in view of other temperature- ($T$-) and magnetic ($B$-) dependent measurements as well as predictions of the Hubbard model and dynamic mean field theory in this transition regime. Metallic film resistances ($R$'s) increase linearly with $T$, but with suggested scattering lengths that, anomalously, are shorter than inter-atomic distances. Similar so-called “bad-metallic” behaviour has been observed in several studies of correlated systems, and is still being understood. We find here that the anomalous $R$ behaviours are associated with the ZBCP. This system can serve as a new test bed for studying correlated electrons and points to a nano building-block strategy for fashioning novel correlated materials.