Preparation of anodic aluminum oxide templates on silicon substrates for growth of ordered nano-dot arrays

We have investigated anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates on silicon substrates for growth of ordered nano-dot arrays. An AAO template having pores of average diameter 60nm and height 200nm was successfully prepared by two-step anodic oxidation of an aluminum film on a silicon substrate. Optimum conditions of the process variables such as annealing time of the as-sputtered aluminum, temperature of the electrolyte solution, and the anodic potential have been experimentally determined. We have obtained silicon-wafer scale AAO templates of ordered arrays with easy handling, and have grown GaAs and GaN nano-dot arrays using the templates by MBE.