Arrays of Ordered Pb Nanowires and Their Optical Properties for Laminated Polarizers

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 12; no. 10; pp. 719 - 722
• Main Authors: Pang, Y.-T., Meng, G.-W., Zhang, L.-D., Qin, Y., Gao, X.-Y., Zhao, A.-W., Fang, Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.10.2002; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: alumina; aluminum; lead (Pb); Membranes; Membranes, aluminum; metallic; Nanowires; Nanowires, metallic, semiconducting, lead (Pb); Ordered arrays; Ordered arrays, 2D, 3D; semiconducting; Templates; Templates, alumina
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/1616-3028(20021016)12:10<719::AID-ADFM719>3.0.CO;2-J

A laminated micropolarizer of Pb nanowire arrays was fabricated within an anodic alumina membrane (AAM) by anodization of the pure Al foil and subsequent electrodeposition of Pb. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected‐area electron diffraction, and high‐resolution electron microscopy investigations reveal that the ordered Pb nanowires are essentially single crystal, and have an average diameter of 40 nm. Spectrophotometry measurements show that the Pb nanowire arrays embedded in AAM can only transmit polarized light vertical to the wires. An extinction ratio of 17 to 18 dB and an average insertion loss of 0.4 dB cm–1 in the wavelength range of 1 to 2.2 μm were obtained, respectively. Therefore, these Pb nanowire/AAM composites can be used as a wire grid type micropolarizer. A laminated micropolarizer of Pb nanowire arrays has been fabricated within an anodic alumina membrane (AAM) by anodization of the pure Al foil and subsequent electrodeposition of Pb. Spectrophotometry measurements show that the Pb nanowire arrays embedded in AAM (see Figure) can only transmit polarized light vertical to the wires, which renders them suitable for wire grid type micropolarizers.