This study was performed to determine optimum parameters of anodizing process in order to develop AAO film for various applications in electronic field. This study focussed on the influence of anodizing parameters such as anodizing voltage, electrolyte temperature and electrolyte concentration to the growth of AAO film.

This book gives detailed information about the fabrication, properties and applications of nanoporous alumina. Nanoporous anodic alumina prepared by low-cost, simple and scalable electrochemical anodization process due to its unique structure and properties have attracted several thousand publications across many disciplines including nanotechnology, materials science, engineering, optics, electronics and medicine. The book incorporates several themes starting from the understanding fundamental principles of the formation nanopores and theoretical models of the pore growth. The book then focuses on describing soft and hard modification techniques for surface and structural modification of pore structures to tailor specific sensing, transport and optical properties of nano porous alumina required for diverse applications. These broad applications including optical biosensing, electrochemical DNA biosensing, molecular separation, optofluidics and drug delivery are reviewed in separated book chapters. The book appeals to researchers, industry professionals and high-level students.

Nanostructured Anodic Metal Oxides: Synthesis and Applications reviews the current status of fabrication strategies that have been successfully developed to generate nanoporous, nanotubular and nanofibrous anodic oxides on a range of metals. The most recent achievements and innovative strategies for the synthesis of nanoporous aluminum oxide and nanotubular titanium oxide are discussed. However, a special emphasis is placed on the possibility of fabrication of nanostructured oxide layers with different morphologies on other metals, including aluminum titanium, tantalum, tin, zinc, zirconium and copper. In addition, emerging biomedical applications of synthesized materials are discussed in detail. During the past decade, great progress has been made both in the preparation and characterization of various nanomaterials and their functional applications. The anodization of metals has proven to be reliable for the synthesis of nanoporous, nanotubular and nanofibrous metal oxides to produce a desired diameter, density, aspect ratio (length to diameter) of pores/tubes, and internal pore/tube structure. - Provides an in-depth overview of anodization techniques for a range of metals - Explores the emerging applications of anodic metal oxides - Explains mechanisms of formation valve metal oxides via anodization

Self-ordered arrangements observed in various materials systems such as anodic aluminum oxide, polystyrene nanoparticles, and block copolymer are of great interest in terms of providing new opportunities in nanofabrication field where lithographic techniques are broadly used in general. Investigations on self-assembled nano arrays to understand how to obtain periodic nano arrays in an efficient yet inexpensive way, and how to realize advanced material and device systems thereof, can lead to significant impacts on science and technology for many forefront device applications. In this thesis, various aspects of periodic nano-arrays have been discussed including novel preparations, properties and applications of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) and PS-b-P4VP (S4VP) di-block copolymer self-assembly. First, long-range ordered AAO arrays have been demonstrated. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) process allowed a faithful pattern transfer of the imprint mold pattern onto Al thin film, and interesting self-healing and pattern tripling phenomena were observed, which could be applicable towards fabrication of the NIL master mold having highly dense pattern over large area, useful for fabrication of a large-area substrate for predictable positioning of arrayed devices. Second, S4VP diblock copolymer self-assembly and S4VP directed AAO self-assembly have been demonstrated in the Al thin film on Si substrate. Such a novel combination of two dissimilar self-assembly techniques demonstrated a potential as a versatile tool for nanopatterning formation on a Si substrate, capable of being integrated into Si process technology. As exemplary applications, vertically aligned Ni nanowires have been synthesized into an S4VP-guided AAO membrane on a Si substrate in addition to anti-dot structured [Co/Pd]n magnetic multilayer using S4VP self assembly. Third, a highly hexagonally ordered, vertically parallel aluminum oxide nanotube array was successfully fabricated via hard anodization technique. The Al2O3 nanotube arrays so fabricated exhibit a uniform and reproducible dimension, and a quite high aspect ratio of greater than ~1,000. Such high-aspect-ratio, mechanically robust, large-surface-area nanotube array structure can be useful for many technical applications. As a potential application in biomedical research, drug storage/controlled drug release from such AAO nanotubes was investigated, and the advantageous potential of using AAO nanotubes for biological implant surface coatings alternative to TiO2 nanotubes has been discussed.

As the field of nanotechnology continues to advance and device feature sizes scale down to ever smaller dimensions, it is becoming increasingly important to develop quick and efficient methods for large-scale production at the nanoscale. Creating such a template would have widespread uses in areas such as magnetic data storage, chemical sensors, and mask technology. One promising approach to realizing this goal may lie in utilizing the self-ordering behavior found in porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO). This material offers many advantages such as the ability to customize the pore diameter and spacing and easy device integration based on its compatibility with silicon substrates. The pores of the AAO templates can be filled with many different materials via electrochemical deposition or other methods to produce numerous potential devices. In this work, current research results detailing the fabrication of AAO templates and their use in creating ~100 nm tall CoPt, Ni, and composite Ni/CoPt nanowires is demonstrated. The synthesis of such nanostructures may ultimately be advantageous for new types of patterned magnetic recording media. The Ni nanowires exhibit relatively soft magnetic coercivity of 242 Oe, while the CoPt nanowires show a very high coercivity of at least 10.97 kOe, measured in the perpendicular direction along the nanowires axis. The composite soft magnet / hard magnet Ni/CoPt nanowires exhibit intermediate perpendicular coercivities depending on the relative amounts of Ni and CoPt. The Ni80nm / CoPt20nm nanowires showed a coercivity of 1.96 kOe, the Ni50nm / CoPt50nm nanowires had a coercivity of 3.59 kOe, and the Ni20nm / CoPt80nm nanowires had a coercivity of 5.10 kOe. This marked decrease in the coercivity is significant because it could facilitate easier magnetic data writing. Analysis of the magnetic properties of the various nanowire structures and their dependence on the processing parameters is presented. A method for utilizing the AAO structure to replicate a master stamp for nanoimprinting technology is also discussed. In addition, plans for future work and a discussion of the application of these fabricated structures towards magnetic recording technology are presented.

The controlled fabrication of highly ordered anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) templates of unprecedented pore uniformity directly on Si, enabled by new advances on two fronts -- direct and timed anodisation of a high-purity Al film of unprecedented thickness (50 micrometres) on Si, and anodizing a thin but pre-textured Al film on Si, has been reported. To deposit high-quality and ultra-thick Al on a non-compliant substrate, a prerequisite for obtaining highly ordered pore arrays on Si by self-organisation while retaining a good adhesion, a specially designed process of e-beam evaporation followed by in situ annealing has been deployed. To obtain an AAO template with the same high degree of ordering and uniformity but from a thin Al film, which is not achievable by the self-organisation alone, pre-patterning of the thin Al surface by reactive ion etching using a free-standing AAO mask that was formed in a separate process was performed. The resultant AAO/Si template provides a good platform for integrated growth of nanotube, nanowire or nanodot arrays on Si. Template-assisted growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) directly on Si was demonstrated via a chemical vapour deposition method. By controllably removing the AAO barrier layer at the bottom of the pores and partially etching back the AAO top surface, new CNT/Si structures were obtained with potential applications in field emitter, sensors, oscillators and photodetectors.

Here, the well-known editor in the field of electrocrystallization and his team of excellent international authors guarantee the high quality of the contributions. Clearly structured in two main parts, this book reviews the fundamentals and applications of electrocrystallization processes in nanotechnology. The first part, "Fundamentals" covers the basic concepts of electrocrystallization, computer simulations of low-dimensional metal phase formation, electrodeposition in templates and nanocavities, nanoscale electrocrystallization from ionic liquids, and superconformal electrodeposition of metals. The second part, "Preparation and properties of nanostructures", includes nanostructuring by STM tip induced localized electrocrystallization of metals, fabrication of ordered anodic nanoporous Al2O3 layers and their application, preparation of nanogaps, nanocontacts, nanowires and nanodots by selective electrochemical deposition, as well as electrodeposition of magnetic nanostructures and multilayers

This book brings together recent developments in the areas of MEMS tribology, novel lubricants and coatings for nanotechnological applications, biomimetics in tribology and fundamentals of micro/nano-tribology. Tribology plays important roles in the functioning and durability of machines at small length scales because of the problems associated with strong surface adhesion, friction, wear etc. Recently, a number of studies have been conducted to understand tribological phenomena at nano/micro scales and many new tribological solutions for MEMS have been proposed.

The primary objective of the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) titled “Functionalized Nanoscale Materials, Devices, and Systems for Chem. -Bio Sensors, Photonics, and Energy Generation and Storage” was to present a contemporary and comprehensive overview of the field of nanostructured materials and devices and its applications in chem. -bio sensors, nanophotonics, and energy generation and storage devices. The study has become one of the most promising disciplines in science and technology, as it aims at the fundamental understanding of new physical, che- cal, and biological properties of systems and the technological advances arising from their exploration. Such systems are intermediate in size, between the isolated atoms and molecules and bulk material, where the unique transitional characteristics between the two can be understood, controlled, and manipulated. Nanotechnologies refer to the creation and utilization of functional materials, devices, and systems with novel properties and functions that are achieved through the control of matter, atom-by-atom, molecule-by-molecule, or at a micro-mo- cular level. Advances made over the last few years provide new opportunities for scientific and technological developments in nanostructures and nanosystems with new architectures with improved functionality. The field is very actively and rapidly evolving and covers a wide range of disciplines. Recently, various nanoscale materials, devices, and systems with remarkable properties have been developed, with numerous unique applications in chemical and biological sensors, nanophotonics, nano-biotechnology, and in-vivo analysis of cellular processes at the nanoscale.

In this book, the history of the concepts critical to the discovery and development of aluminum, its alloys and the anodizing process are reviewed to provide a foundation for the challenges, achievements, and understanding of the complex relationship between the aluminum alloy and the reactions that occur during anodic oxidation. Empirical knowledge that has long sustained industrial anodizing is clarified by viewing the process as corrosion science, addressing each element of the anodizing circuit in terms of the Tafel Equation. This innovative approach enables a new level of understanding and engineering control for the mechanisms that occur as the oxide nucleates and grows, developing its characteristic highly ordered structure, which impact the practical function of the anodic aluminum oxide.