Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T08:53:33.800Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Novel Pre-oxidation Patterning on Thin Aluminium Film Generating Ordered Nanopores through Anodization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Giovanni Fois
Affiliation:
[email protected], Trinity College Dublin, CRANN, Dublin, Ireland
Ciara Therese Bolger
Affiliation:
[email protected], University College Cork, Department of chemistry, Cork, Ireland
Justin D Holmes
Affiliation:
[email protected], University College Cork, Department of chemistry, Cork, Ireland
Graham Cross
Affiliation:
[email protected], Trinity College Dublin, School of Physics and CRANN, Dublin, Ireland
Get access

Abstract

Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) is widely employed as a template for fabrication of nanowires and nanotubes due to its ability to generate self organized (SO), well ordered pore structures. We have developed a new aluminum pre-patterning technique to create well ordered nanopore arrays on thin films deposited on silicon substrates. We form patterns of thicker oxide on the surface via local oxidation process using a conducting Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) tip working in contact mode. Pores are forced to nucleate between the pre-oxidized regions during the anodization process. The relation between applied voltage and ordered interpore distance has been found to be linear for these supported thin films. However, the pore spacing is highly reduced compared to free standing foils. A new empiric law has been confirmed for a wide range of voltages, solution concentrations and different electrolytes, including oxalic and phosphoric acid. Our results show that pre-oxidation patterning is an alternative technique to achieve an ordered nanoporous template through the anodization process.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Hulteen, J.C. Martin, C.R. J. Mater. Chem. 7, 1075 (1997).10.1039/a700027hGoogle Scholar
2 Mikulskas, I. Juodkazis, S. Tomašiunas, R., Dumas, J.G. Adv. Mater. 13, 1179 (2001).Google Scholar
3 Pan, S. Rothberg, L.J. Nano Letters 3, 811 (2003).Google Scholar
4 Masuda, H. Watanabe, M. Yasui, K. Tryk, D. Rao, T. Fujishima, A. Adv. Mater. 12, 444 (2000).Google Scholar
5 Masuda, H. Fukuda, K. Science 268, 1466 (1995).Google Scholar
6 Jessensky, O. Müller, F., Gösele, U., Appl.Phys. Lett. 72, 11731175 (1998)Google Scholar
7 Garcia-Vergara, S.J., Skeldon, P. Thompson, G.E. Habazaki, H. Electrochim. Acta 52, 681 (2006).Google Scholar
8 Houser, J. E. Herbert, K. R. Nature Mat. 8, 415 (2009).Google Scholar
9 P, O'Sullivan J..; C, Wood G.., Proc. Roy. Soc. A317, 511 (1970)Google Scholar
10 Masuda, H. Yamada, H. Satoh, M. Asoh, H. Nakao, M. Tamamura, T. Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 2770 (1997).Google Scholar
11 Li, A. P. Müller, F., Gösele, U., Electrochem. Solid- State Lett. 3, 131 (2000).Google Scholar
12 Liu, C. Y.; Datta, A.; Wang, Y. L. Appl.Phys. Lett. 78, 120 (2001).Google Scholar
13 Fois, G. Bolger, C. T. Holmes, J. D. G. Cross, L. W. in preparation.Google Scholar
14 Li, A. P. Müller, F., Birne, A. Nielsch, K. Gösele, U., J. Appl. Phys. 88, 6023 (1998).Google Scholar
15 Lee, W. Ji, R. Gösele, U., Nielsch, K. Nature Mater. 5, 741 (2006).Google Scholar