Fabrication of Iron Nanowire Arrays by Electrodeposition into Porous Alumina

In this work, porous alumina is used as a template for electrochemical deposition of iron nanowires. Arrays of hexagonally ordered iron nanowires with a monodisperse diameter size of about 55 nm +/- 2 nm and ranging from 0.3 to 1 mu m in length have been fabricated by alternating current (AC) electrochemical reduction of metal ions into the pores of membrane templates. Nanowires follow the confining dimensions of the pores in the alumina membrane and have a density of 10(10) cm(-2). The degree of pore filling obtained is nearly 100%. The nanowire arrays have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as well as by cross-sectioning using a focused ion beam (FIB). Detailed characterization of the embedded nanowires is essential to understanding their physical properties and evaluating their possible applications.