SEM and SPM Characterization of Nanostructures Formed by Anodizing Aluminum Foils

Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy are used to examine the surface morphology of aluminum foils exposed to anodizing in acidic solution. Anodizing in the potentiostatic mode is shown to form a uniform honeycomb nanostructure on the foil surface, where the average distances between the centers of neighboring cells and the cell heights are proportional to the anodizing voltage. The specific electric capacitance of nanostructured anodic aluminum foils covered with an oxide layer via atomic layer deposition (ALD) is studied. The specific electric capacitance of nanostructured foils is established as a linear function of anodizing voltage and an inverse function of the number of ALD cycles.