Electrical contacts to nanorod networks at different length scales: From macroscale ensembles to single nanorod chains

• All-inorganic hybrid metal–semiconductor networks with controlled size are synthesized.
• We demonstrate different approaches to selectively contact the networks and single chains with planar electrodes.
• Charge transport characterization of networks on different size from macroscopic to nanometer scale.

The nature of metal–semiconductor interfaces at the nanoscale is an important issue in micro- and nano-electronic engineering. The study of charge transport through chains of CdSe semiconductor nanorods linked by Au particles represents an ideal model system for this matter, because the metal semiconductor interface is an intrinsic feature of the nanosystem. Here we show the controlled fabrication of all-inorganic hybrid metal–semiconductor networks with different size, in which the semiconductor nanorods are linked by Au domains at their tips. We demonstrate different approaches to selectively contact the networks and single nanorod chains with planar electrodes, and we investigate their charge transport at room temperature.

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