On-substrate porous-anodic-alumina-assisted gold nanostructure arrays: Meeting the challenges of various sizes and interfaces

Abstract Arrays of 0- and 1-dimensional noble-metal nanostructures aligned on solid substrates are in demand for nanocatalysis, bio- and optical sensing, or biomolecular analysis. Here we introduce a range of advances based on a systematic research towards the porous-anodic-alumina (PAA)-assisted on-substrate arrays of gold nanostructures, such as rods and spheres, spatially-separated and highly aligned on a metal or semiconductor supporting layer via a blend of the anodizing, re-anodizing, and post-anodizing treatments applied to a thin layer of Al superimposed on selected valve metals (W, Ti, Hf), metal bilayers (W/Ti), or binary metal alloy layers (W-Ti). The achievements are due to (1) the improved self-organization in the PAA thin films during the self-localizing high-current anodization of the upper Al layer at challenging potentials ranging 100–250 V and 20 to 5 V, and (2) the enhanced penetration of the alumina barrier layer by the undergrowing metal oxide due to the increasing polarization (re-anodizing). The protrusions of the undergrown metal oxide can be either selectively dissolved away providing perfect nanoholes in the alumina barrier layer or left as formed in the barrier layer and annealed in vacuum to increase their electron conductance and serve as the supports for subsequent metal electrodeposition. Additionally, the in-situ amplitude-modulated constant-current pulse deposition mode combined with the original surface-wiping technique to remove the overdeposited gold allow for smooth nucleation and uniform finishing of perfect arrays of on-substrate gold nanospheres and nanorods, having diameters from 10 to over 250 nm and length up to 2.5 μm.

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