Lateral Porous Alumina Templates for Planar Organisation of Carbon Nanotubes and Semiconductor Nanowires

Abstract

We present some of our first experiments on the controlled growth of silicon nanowires and carbon nanotubes in lateral porous alumina templates synthesized by anodic oxidation of Al thin films. Under adapted chemical vapor deposition growth conditions, and using the vapor-solid-liquid mechanism, the pores of the lateral membranes can be partially filled with silicon nanowires or carbon nanotubes, yielding a composite thin film of parallel-organized nano-objects. Such composite thin films can be further tailored and shaped by classical microelectronic-type tools and processes, in order to fabricate electronic devices.