A method to fabricate nanorod films on aluminum lattice membrane by magnetron sputtering

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 516; no. 15; pp. 4983 - 4987
• Main Authors: Zheng, Huajun, Zhong, Jinhuan, Wang, Wei, Zheng, Yifan, Ma, Chunan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 02.06.2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aluminum lattice membrane; Anodic aluminum oxide; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetron sputtering; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanocontacts; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructures; Nanotubes; Physics; Thin films; Thin films; Anodic aluminum oxide; Magnetron sputtering; Nanostructures; Aluminum lattice membrane; Tungsten carbide; Scanning electron microscopy; Aluminium; Hexagonal lattices; Physical vapor deposition; Nickel; Nanodot; Copper; Sputter deposition; Arrays; Nanorod; Nanostructured materials; Nanomaterial synthesis
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2007.10.005

The development of the process of fabricating well-aligned nanostructures materials is one of the interesting subjects in current material science. This paper describes a new method to fabricate high-density, vertically-aligned nanorods of metal and metal compound by magnetron sputtering on aluminum lattice membrane (ALM). The ALM was formed by chemical etching of the hexagonal arrays of pore layer from the anodic aluminum oxide membrane, resulting in unnumbered hemisphere nanopits with uniform protuberant nanodots on the surface of aluminum. The ALM was employed as a substrate to fabricate well-aligned Ni, Cu, WC nanorod films by magnetron sputtering. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the sputtered atoms have been absorbed preferentially onto the protuberant nanodots of ALM in the process of magnetron sputtering, and have begun to nucleate and grow into nanorods. The diameter of the nanorods depends on the diameter of hemisphere on the surface of the substrate, while the thickness of thin films can be controlled by deposition time.