Aluminum foils were anodized in sulfuric acid solution to form thick porous anodic aluminium oxide films of thickness ~6µm. Electrodes of carboxyl-functionalized single-wall carbon nanotube thin films were inkjet-printed onto the anodic oxide layer and the electrical characteristics of the as-obtained single-wall carbon nanotube/anodic aluminium oxide/Al structures were studied. Non-linear current–voltage transport and strong temperature dependence of conduction through the structure was measured. The microstructure and chemical composition of the anodic oxide layer was analyzed using transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Schottky emission at the single-wall carbon nanotube/anodic aluminium oxide and anodic aluminium oxide/Al interfaces allowed by impurity states in the anodic aluminum oxide film together with ionic surface conduction on the pore walls of anodic aluminium oxide gave a reasonable explanation for the measured electrical conduction. Calcined anodic aluminium oxide was proposed as a dielectric material for single-walled carbon nanotube-field effect transistors.

Electrical Transport Through Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube–Anodic Aluminum Oxide–Aluminum Heterostructures. J.Kukkola, A.Rautio, G.Sala, F.Pino, G.Tóth, A.R.Leino, J.Mäklin, H.Jantunen, A.Uusimäki, K.Kordás, E.Gracia, M.Terrones, A.Shchukarev, J.P.Mikkola: Nanotechnology, 2010, 21[3], 035707