Extending tie functionality of anodically oxidized valve metal multilayers by tailoring their morphology, nanostructure and properties

摘要

Transition metal (including valve metal) oxides possess various useful properties such as supercon?ductivity, magneto-resistance, catalytic activity, electrochromism, gas sensitivity and many others. Nanostructuring of transition metal oxides is an active and competitive area of research because it offers unprecedented opportunities for the development of advanced materials and microsystem components at the nanoscale with improved performances or substantially enhanced properties. In recent years an original approach has been developed to grow 2-D arrays of metal-oxide nanostructures (hillocks, rods, cones etc.), anchored to dielectric or conducting substrates, via smart anodizing of a valve metal bilayer comprising a thin layer of aluminum superimposed on a layer of different metal [1].