“…1,3,[10][11][12] One method to form nanowires is to electrodeposit conducting materials inside the pores of porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membranes. This has previously been employed in the production of nanowires of Ni, 13,14 Co, 13,14 Cu, 13,14 Fe, 13,14 Pd, 10,15 Au, 16 Sb, 17 Bi, 3 Ag 5 and Si, 18,19 as well as alloys of Pd-Ni, 20 Pd-Fe, 21 Pt-Co, 22 Ni-Ga 23 and Si-C, 24 and has the advantage that one end of the wire is electrically contacted by virtue of the electrodeposition method employed. One potential problem with electrodeposition into a porous structure is the narrow pore diameter and associated high aspect ratio, causing restricted diffusion of the metal ions to the bottom of the pore.…”