Site-specific and patterned growth of TiO2 nanotube arrays from e-beam evaporated thin titanium film on Si wafer

Growth of TiO(2) nanotubes on thin Ti film deposited on Si wafers with site-specific and patterned growth using a photolithography technique is demonstrated for the first time. Ti films were deposited via e-beam evaporation to a thickness of 350-1000 nm. The use of a fluorinated organic electrolyte at room temperature produced the growth of nanotubes with varying applied voltages of 10-60 V (DC) which remained stable after annealing at 500 °C. It was found that variation of the thickness of the deposited Ti film could be used to control the length of the nanotubes regardless of longer anodization time/voltage. Growth of the nanotubes on a SiO(2) barrier layer over a Si wafer, along with site-specific and patterned growth, enables potential application of TiO(2) nanotubes in NEMS/MEMS-type devices.