Electronic Transport in Metal Nanocrystal Arrays: The Effect of Structural Disorder on Scaling Behavior

We investigate the impact of structural disorder on electronic transport in gold nanocrystal monolayers. Arrays ranging from void-filled networks to well-ordered superlattices show clear voltage thresholds V_T due to Coulomb blockade, and temperature-independent conduction indicative of quantum tunneling. Current-voltage characteristics of arrays with and without long-range structural order were found to collapse onto distinct scaling curves. The former follow a single power-law: I (V-V_T)^\zeta, \zeta = 2.25+/-0.1. The latter show additional structure, reflecting the underlying disordered topology.