Direct formation of AuNPs thin film using thermal evaporated zinc as sacrificial template in hydrothermal method

This work describes the properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) embedded in polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSSQ) as an organic dielectric layer. AuNPs were grown on this dielectric layer via the sacrificial hydrothermal process using ZnO seeded template prepared by thermal evaporation. Template prepared by using the thermal evaporation method has advantages in terms of ease of fabrication and cost compared to previous work, which the template was prepared by using sputtering method. The effect of annealing temperature on the ZnO seeded template was investigated. The effect of template on structural and electrical properties of the grown AuNPs was studied by field-emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and semiconductor characterization system. Metal–insulator-semiconductor device with embedded AuNPs was proven to exhibit memory effect. Optimum memory properties of AuNPs embedded in PMSSQ was obtained for AuNPs grown on the Zn seeds template annealed at 350 °C with the lowest threshold voltage at 3.7 V in current–voltage characteristics, and could store 49 electrons per Au nanoparticle. This indicated that uniform AuNPs in combination with the size and area density contributed to excellent memory effect.