Search

Abstract The first aim of this study was to fabricate vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs were successfully prepared by using plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Further, three carbon composite electrodes with different content of carbon particles with various shapes and sizes were prepared and tested on measuring of nucleic acids. The dependences of adenine peak height on the concentration of nucleic acid sample were measured. Carbon composite electrode prepared from a mixture of glassy and spherical carbon powder and MWCNTs had the highest sensitivity to nucleic acids. Other interesting result is the fact that we were able to distinguish signals for all bases using this electrode.

The need for integrated passive devices (IPDs) emerges from the increasing consumer demand for electronic product miniaturization. Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors are vital components of IPD systems. Developing new materials and technologies is essential for advancing capacitor characteristics and co-integrating with other electronic passives. Here we present an innovative electrochemical technology joined with the sputter-deposition of Al and Zr layers to synthesize novel planar nanocomposite metal-oxide dielectrics consisting of ZrO2 nanorods self-embedded into the nanoporous Al2O3 matrix such that its pores are entirely filled with zirconium oxide. The technology is utilized in MIM capacitors characterized by modern surface and interface analysis techniques and electrical measurements. In the 95–480 nm thickness range, the best-achieved MIM device characteristics are the one-layer capacitance density of 112 nF·cm−2, the loss tangent of 4·10−3 at frequencies up to 1 MHz, the leakage current density of 40 pA·cm−2, the breakdown field strength of up to 10 MV·cm−1, the energy density of 100 J·cm−3, the quadratic voltage coefficient of capacitance of 4 ppm·V−2, and the temperature coefficient of capacitance of 480 ppm·K−1 at 293–423 K at 1 MHz. The outstanding performance, stability, and tunable capacitors' characteristics allow for their application in low-pass filters, coupling/decoupling/bypass circuits, RC oscillators, energy-storage devices, ultrafast charge/discharge units, or high-precision analog-to-digital converters. The capacitor technology based on the non-porous planar anodic-oxide dielectrics complements the electrochemical conception of IPDs that combined, until now, the anodized aluminum interconnection, microresistors, and microinductors, all co-related in one system for use in portable electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aluminum‐on‐zirconium bilayer is anodized in oxalic acid solution to transform the Al layer into porous anodic alumina (PAA); this is followed by the PAA‐assisted re‐anodizing of the Zr underlayer at voltages 40–280 V. The process results in an array of amorphous ZrO2 nanocolumns, 45–330 nm long, partly filling the PAA pores and anchored to a continuous bottom oxide layer under the pores, 20–130 nm thick, comprising a ZrO1.8 spongelike sublayer superimposed on a ZrO1.5 compact sublayer. The thicknesses of the nanostructured and bottom oxides increase linearly with re‐anodizing voltage, disclosing a low film formation ratio of 1.65 nm V−1, which is impossible with anodic ZrO2. The amorphous ZrO2 nanocolumns embedded in the highly resistive amorphous PAA matrix combined with the laminated bottom oxide reveal a nearly ideal dielectric performance in a wide frequency range (10−4–104 Hz) complemented by the low leakage currents and high breakdown voltages (up to 280 V). The film permittivity may be tuned, from 11 to 20, by combining the anodizing and pore‐widening techniques. The advantageous architecture, fabrication approach, and functional properties of the films allow the design of a prototype of an emerging hybrid polymer electrolytic microcapacitor for on‐chip integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]