  A uniform array of single-grain Au nanodots, as small as 5-8 nm, can be
formed on silicon using e-beam lithography. The as-fabricated nanodots are
amorphous, and thermal annealing converts them to pure Au single crystals
covered with a thin SiO2 layer. These findings are based on physical
measurements, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), atomic resolution scanning
transmission electron microscopy, and chemical techniques using energy
dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A self-assembled organic monolayer is grafted on
the nanodots and characterized chemically with nanometric lateral resolution.
We use the extended uniform array of nanodots as a new test-bed for molecular
electronics devices.
