Porous Alumina Template based Nanodevices

Abstract

Quantum confinement is an emerging technique for the development of futuristic devices. Use of porous alumina as a template for fabrication of quantum confined nanostructures of magnetic, metallic and semiconducting materials is a recent development. This process provides a simple low cost, scalable technique, suitable for economical volume production and is easily integrated with standard microelectronic technology. Lithographic steps are not involved in this self assembled nanostructure. In view of this, recent developments in this field are reviewed here. The basic alumina template is fabricated by controlled anodization of aluminium to form close packed hexagonal nanometer sized cells. The pore dimensions are easily controlled by adjusting the process parameters. A variety of materials are incorporated in these nanosize pores by suitable technique such as electrodeposition, sol-gel processing or vapour phase chemical reactions. A variety of futuristic devices can be fabricated by proper choice of the dimensions and the incorporated material. Some recent results are summarized in the present review.

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Notes on contributors

Kiran Jain

Kiran Jain did her MSc physics in 1976 from Rajasthan University and MTech (solid-state materials) in 1979 from IIT Delhi. Dr Jain is working at National Physical laboratory as a scientist since 1981. During her research, she was involved in the preparation of fine ceramics, β-alumina for sodium sulfur batteries, high temperature superconductors and thin film photovoltaic materials (II-VI). Dr Jain obtained her PhD in 1977 on Processing and studies on textured BSCCO materials for improved critical current density. Presently, she is engaged in the growth and characterization of nanocrystalline semiconducting materials.

S T Lakshmikumar

S T Lakshmikumar obtained the MSc Degree in Physics from the Sri Venkateswara University Tirupati in 1976 and the PhD Degree from the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore in 1981. After two years as a post doctoral fellow at the Indian Institute of Science he joined the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi in 1983 where he has continued his research in materials science. His research interests include amorphous materials, metallic glasses, instrumentation, solar energy materials and more recently nanostructured materials. He has published more than forty papers in reputed international journals. He was selected as a CV Raman Fellow for the year 1992 by the CSIR and worked under the fellowship at the Centre for Integrated Electronics, Ransellaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.