Ideally Ordered Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membranes via the Replicated Nickel Imprint Stamp

Abstract

Nanochannel structures with an ideally ordered pore arrangement of an interpore distance of 110 nm and pore diameter of 40 nm were synthesized by anodization of the pretextured aluminum substrate that was pressed by replicated nickel stamp. In contrast to the direct imprint of master onto metallic substrate, the replicated metallic nickel stamp imprinted onto aluminum substrate under an appropriate pressure. The Si master with hexagonally shaped pyramid structures imprinted to polymer film with corresponded dimple arrays. Subsequently, Ni film was replicated by using an electrochemical deposition from the pattern transferred polymer layer. The pretextured Al substrate by direct imprint of Ni stamp was anodized in 0.3 M oxalic acid and at the applied voltage of 45 V. The transferred concaves on Al initiated the pore nucleation and guided to the ideally ordered pore configuration. All physical morphologies obtained during nano imprint lithography were investigated by scanning electron micrographs (SEM).