Field-dependent growth patterns of metals electroplated in nanoporous alumina membranes

Abstract

Over the past decade, the preparation and fabrication of nanostructured materials have attracted much interest for fundamental scientific research as well as industrial applications such as nanoelectric devices,([1]) high-density magnetic memories,([2]) high-performance catalysts,([3]) and biomaterial separation membranes.([4]) Among the various fabrication methods, the template method employing a nanoporous material as a reaction template is a very simple and facile approach because templates are well-defined and their lengths and diameters can be easily controlled.([5,6]) In particular, anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), which has nanometer-size channels (ca. 20-250 nm in diameter) with high pore density (up to 10(10) cm(-2)) and controllable channel length,([7,8]) has been used to prepare various nanoscaled materials such as nanorods, nanowires, and nanotubes of metals,([6.9]) semiconductors,([10]) ([11]) metal oxides, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)([12]), polymers,([13]) and some organic molecules.([14])