Fabrication of ZnO nanotubes using AAO template and sol-gel method

Abstract

We report a novel method that enables the facile fabrication of highly ordered zinc oxide (ZnO) nanotubes using Anodic Aluminium Oxide (AAO) template and sol-gel method. 200 nm titanium and 3.2 mu m aluminium films were deposited subsequently on oxidized silicon wafer by thermal evaporation method. AAO template was fabricated by two-step anodization. The ZnO nanotubes were then fabricated into the AAO template using sol-gel ZnO. AAO template and ZnO nanotubes were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS). The formation mechanism of ZnO nanotubes was also discussed. SEM micrographs show that fabricated vertically ZnO nanotubes are approximately 40 nm in diameters and 3.2 mu m in lengths in a relatively large area of about 6 cm(2).