INFLUENCE OF NANOWIRE DIAMETER ON STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF Cu NANOWIRE SYNTHESIZED IN ANODIC ALUMINIUM OXIDE FILM

Abstract

Copper (Cu) nanowire arrays embedded in anodic aluminium oxide films (AAO) on aluminium substrate have been synthesized by alternating current electrochemical deposition. Two-step anodization process has been performed to get the through-hole AAO with ordered nanochannels in 0.3[Formula: see text]M oxalic acids at DC voltages 30, 40, 50 and 60[Formula: see text]V, respectively. Structural characterization of the Cu nanowires has been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (or) X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Our SEM analysis has revealed that the diameters of vertically oriented Cu nanowires are 15, 25, 45 and 60[Formula: see text]nm and the length of Cu nanowires having high packing density is about 15[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. XRD measurement has indicated that polycrystalline Cu nanowires prefer growth orientation along the (111) direction. Optical measurements show that reflection of the Cu nanowires/AAO on aluminium reduces with decreasing diameter of the Cu nanowires. This effect can be associated with increased light scattering from metal nanoparticles near their localized plasmon resonance frequency depending on the size and shape of the nanoparticles.