The present invention provides methods of forming uniform nanoparticle based monolayer films with a high particle density on the surface of a substrate comprising (a) forming a surface modifying layer on a substrate using a material comprising a first functional group that chemically binds to the substrate and a second functional group comprising a group capable of forming van der Waals forces, (b) applying to the surface modifying layer a solution comprising nanoparticles, and (c) curing the resultant structure formed at step (b) for a predetermined time to form a nanoparticle based monolayer film. The present invention further provides substrates and devices comprising the nanoparticle based monolayer films.