The dielectric breakdown of anodic aluminum oxide

The dielectric breakdown field of anodic oxide layers on aluminum is independent of thickness in the region 230- 1700 Å and is close to the forming field.     

Degradation and breakdown in anodic tantalum oxide

The influence is considered of a strong electrical field on the electrical characteristics of anodic tantalum oxide in MOS- and MOM-structures. It is shown that the action of strong electrical fields results in irreversible changes in the conductivity of a dielectric due to spectrum transformations of localized states in the Ta₂O₅ forbidden band. A correlation is noted between the field dependences of the breakdown delay time and the rate of development of the degradation processes.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 15–19, May, 1984.     

Birefringence in porous anodic aluminum oxide

Birefringence properties of a disordered two-dimensional photonic crystal are demonstrated experimentally for the first time. It is proposed to use porous anodic aluminum oxide, which has anisotropy on the scale of the wavelength of light, as a new birefringent material in the optical range. An original method for studying the birefringence properties of two-dimensional photonic crystals based on the use of monochromatic light is described.     

Indentation deformation of mesoporous anodic aluminum oxide

Mechanical properties of anodic aluminum oxides (AAO) were achieved by means of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an atomic force microscope (AFM), and indentation measurements. A two-step anodized mesoporous anodic aluminum oxide was successfully fabricated vertically and hollowly. Both microindentation and nanoindentation were carried out. Localized pop-in can be found during nanoindentation due to the collapse of the beneath cylindrical structures. Over a certain load, microindentation may induce radial cracks from the indented edge to outward of the AAO. The underside of the indented AAO sample was milled to figure out the structural changes.     

Intense blue luminescence of anodic aluminum oxide

The luminescence spectra of aluminum oxide with an ordered system of through pores have been studied. The diameter and density of pores were ≈ 50 nm and 1.2 × 10¹⁰ cm^?2, respectively. Amorphous aluminum oxide formed by anodization of aluminum foil in an oxalic acid electrolyte shows intense luminescence in the blue spectral region. Processing of spectra with the use of an oxalic acid approximation by Gaussian curves gives three bands peaking at ～ 382 (3.2 eV), 461 (2.7 eV), and 500 nm (2.5 eV), which correspond to different types of defects. The bands at 382 and 461 nm can be assigned to optical transitions involving F⁺ and F centers (vacancies of oxygen with one or two electrons), respectively. The lower-energy band near 500 nm can be presumably assigned to luminescence from F⁺⁺ centers (vacancy of oxygen without an electron). Analysis of the luminescence excitation spectra has revealed an inhomogeneous character of the distribution of the corresponding luminescence centers in the Al₂O₃ matrix.     

Electrical breakdown of dysprosium oxide films

The principal laws governing the electrical breakdown of dysprosium oxide films in silicon metal — insulator — semiconductor structures are investigated. The dependence of the breakdown field E_br on the rise rate of the voltage on the structure K_v, the temperature, the material and area of the electrode, and the humidity of the environment is studied. The dependence of the time delay of breakdown on the amplitude of a rectangular voltage pulse is investigated. It is established that the breakdown field increases linearly with log K_v for all insulator thicknesses, and the saturation of E_br is observed at K_v>10⁵ V/sec. It is found that E_br does not depend on the electrode material and decreases as the area of the electrode or the temperature is increased. The maximum breakdown field is determined: E _br ^max =14 MV/cm. The mechanism of the precursory stage of breakdown, i.e., the period of transient buildup of critical charge in the insulator, is discussed.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 95–101, August, 1995.     

FePt nano-stripes fabricated on anodic aluminum oxide templates

A new Fe Pt nanostructure with stripe-like patterns has been prepared by direct current(DC) magnetron sputtering on anodic aluminum oxide(AAO) templates. AAO templates anodized under low voltages(7 V) demonstrate self-organized,maze-like patterns, different from the conventional porous structures obtained at high voltages. Fe Pt thin films deposited on such templates tend to replicate the morphology of the templates. Although there is no obvious spatial ordering, the dimensions of the Fe Pt nano-stripes are highly uniform, due to the constrained growth along the transverse direction of the AAO pattern. The magnetic properties are strongly influenced by this unique morphology. While continuous films demonstrate strong exchange coupling, the dominant interaction in Fe Pt nano-stripes with the same nominal thickness is magnetostatic. The morphology also dictates the magnetization reversal behaviors, with thin films dominated by domain nucleation; while nano-stripes incline to reverse their magnetization by spin rotation. Our work demonstrates that selforganized AAO templates can be used to control the morphology and magnetic behavior of Fe Pt materials.     

阳极氧化铝模板表面自组织条纹的形成

对未经化学抛光处理的Al进行阳极氧化得到阳极氧化铝模板，发现Al表面形成了条纹与多孔阵列共存的自组织结构，用原子力显微镜对这种结构进行了研究.借助Brusselator模型对条纹的形成机理进行了讨论，认为条纹图案是Al表面氧化层/电解液界面的Al₂O₃在整个反应过程中的生成和溶解两个过程相互竞争导致的，只有在特定的反应条件才会出现高度有序的结构. 关键词： 氧化铝模板（AAO） 原子力显微镜（AFM） 自组织条纹 Brusselator模型     

Highly ordered zinc oxide nanotubules synthesized within the anodic aluminum oxide template

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanotubules were prepared by sol-gel synthesis within the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the morphology and crystalloid structures of the ZnO nanotubules. The results indicate that polycrystalline ZnO nanotubules are very uniformly assembled and parallel to each other in the membrane pores of the AAO template. Received: 15 January 2001 / Accepted: 1 February 2001 / Published online: 27 June 2001     

Dual effects of ultrasound on fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide

Ultrasound has been proven to enhance the mass transfer process and impact the fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO). However, the different effects of ultrasound propagating in different media make the specific target and process of ultrasound in AAO remain unclear, and the effects of ultrasound on AAO reported in previous studies are contradictory. These uncertainties have greatly limited the application of ultrasonic-assisted anodization (UAA) in practice. In this study, the bubble desorption and mass transfer enhancement effects were decoupled based on an anodizing system with focused ultrasound, such that the dual effects of ultrasound on different targets were distinguished. The results showed that ultrasound has the dual effects on AAO fabrication. Specifically, ultrasound focused on the anode has a nanopore-expansion effect on AAO, leading to a 12.24 % improvement in fabrication efficiency. This was attributed to the promotion of interfacial ion migration through ultrasonic-induced high-frequency vibrational bubble desorption. However, AAO nanopores were observed to shrink when ultrasound was focused on the electrolyte, accompanied by a 25.85 % reduction in fabrication efficiency. The effects of ultrasound on mass transfer through jet cavitation appeared to be the reason for this phenomenon. This study resolved the paradoxical phenomena of UAA in previous studies and is expected to guide AAO application in electrochemistry and surface treatments.     

高质量多孔氧化铝模板的制备

在草酸电解液中研究了阳极氧化法制备多孔氧化铝模板(AAO模板)。采用场发射扫描电子显微镜对多孔模板的形貌进行表征,结果表明:模板孔的分布均匀有序,孔径在40~70 nm;电解液浓度、氧化电压、氧化温度和氧化时间都会影响模板的形态;不经过高温退火及抛光也可以制得规则排布的多孔AAO模板。X射线衍射分析表明:氧化铝膜的主要成分为非晶态Al2O3。     

Roughness evolution of highly ordered nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide films

In this paper, we report on the surface roughness evolution of highly ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films based on an atomic force microscopy (AFM) study. Root mean square of the surface roughness was measured on AFM images taken from highly ordered AAO films produced by two-step anodization under different conditions including electrolyte type, anodization voltage, and anodization time. Surface roughness of highly ordered AAO films increases step by step through the two-step anodizing process including electropolishing, first-step anodization, dissolution, and second-step anodization. However, increase of the surface roughness is proportional to the anodization voltage and time. The surface roughness of AAO films changes as a function of length scale until it finally approaches a maximum termed the saturation roughness. The variation of roughness of the growth of AAO could be scaled with an anomalous dynamic behavior as it saturates over a critical length scale while the saturation roughness is dependent on the anodizing time and voltage.     

Photoluminescence of Si-based nanotips fabricated by anodic aluminum oxide template

Large-area, high-density silicon-based nanotips were fabricated using electrochemical lithography. The morphology and optical properties of the samples were characterized by atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence. The distribution and size of the silicon-based nanotips were uniform. Two photoluminescence peaks were observed at 585 and 620 nm. The peak centered at 585 nm exhibited a narrow full-width at half maximum. No evident peak energy shift was observed when the measurement temperature was increased from 10 K to room temperature, which suggested that the photoluminescence should be attributed to the interface states and/or defects in the silicon-based nanotips.     

高质量多孔氧化铝模板的制备

在草酸电解液中研究了阳极氧化法制备多孔氧化铝模板（AAO模板)。采用场发射扫描电子显微镜对多孔模板的形貌进行表征,结果表明：模板孔的分布均匀有序,孔径在40～70 nm;电解液浓度、氧化电压、氧化温度和氧化时间都会影响模板的形态;不经过高温退火及抛光也可以制得规则排布的多孔AAO模板。X射线衍射分析表明：氧化铝膜的主要成分为非晶态Al2O3/sub>。     

多孔阳极氧化铝薄膜光学常数的确定

根据多孔阳极氧化铝(AAO)薄膜的实验透射谱(200—2500nm)，采用极值包络线算法确定其光学常数，并由此较精确地计算出AAO薄膜样品在该波段的光学常数.结果表明，多孔氧化铝薄膜表现出直接带隙(能隙约4．5eV)半导体的光学特性，且其光学常数与制样中的重要工艺参数阳极氧化电压有显著的相关性，即随阳极氧化电压的增加，AAO薄膜的厚度、折射率和光学能隙变大，消光系数减小．同时，计算得到的薄膜厚度与实测值相吻合，则说明计算结果和实验值是自洽的. 关键词： 薄膜光学 光学常数 多孔阳极氧化铝 阳极氧化电压     

Influence of electrolyte composition on photoluminescent properties of anodic aluminum oxide

Luminescent properties of anodic alumina fabricated in anodizing solutions containing oxalic, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids in addition to those modified by thermal annealing are investigated. Comparison of the obtained data shows that F⁺-centers are responsible for the luminescence band at 390 nm. The intense photoluminescence band of porous anodic alumina substrates at 450–500 nm is associated with oxalate anions. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 2, pp. 208–212, March–April, 2008.