Gold Nanocube Monolayers: From Synthesis and Self-Assembly to Conductive Thin Films

The intriguing plasmonic and electrical properties arising from the dense organization of their building blocks make gold nanoparticle monolayers promising candidates for the development of efficient and versatile platforms for sensing and optoelectronics. Despite gold nanocubes (AuNCs) exhibiting favorable morphological and optical characteristics, their use in conductive monolayers remains underexplored. In this study, a systematic investigation of the AuNC monolayer fabrication process is presented, focusing on the optimization of deposition conditions, interparticle spacing, and structural uniformity. Furthermore, the realization of electrically conductive monolayers using AuNCs as building blocks is reported for the first time. Morphological, optical, and electrical properties are characterized and discussed in detail, highlighting the potential of AuNC monolayers as functional components in nanoscale devices.