Formation of ordered TiO2 nanostructural arrays with tunable shapes by magnetron sputtering method

Large-area ordered TiO2 nanostructural arrays with tunable shapes were fabricated by annealing the magnetron sputtered Ti on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates in air at 400 °C for 6 h. The morphology of the sputtered TiO2 nanostructural film was controlled by adjusting the parameters of the porous AAO substrate. XRD measurement shows the annealed TiO2 nanotubular film is polycrystalline anatase phase without preferred orientation. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement reveals the TiO2 nanostructural film is an indirect bandgap semiconductor with oxygen vacancy defects. These nanostructural arrays may find potential applications in photocatalytic and photovoltaic devices.