Multi-island single-electron devices from self-assembled colloidal   nanocrystal chains
  We report the fabrication of multi-island single-electron devices made by lithographic contacting of self-assembled alkanethiol-coated gold nanocrystals. The advantages of this method, which bridges the dimensional gap between lithographic and NC sizes, are (1) that all tunnel junctions are defined by self-assembly rather than lithography and (2) that the ratio of gate capacitance to total capacitance is high. The rich electronic behavior of a double-island device, measured at 4.2 K, is predicted in detail by combining finite element and Monte Carlo simulations with the standard theory of Coulomb blockade with very few adjustable parameters. 
Dirk N. Weiss, Xavier Brokmann, Laurie E. Calvet, Marc A. Kastner,   Moungi G. Bawendi