Ion implantation and annealing for an efficient N-doping of TiO2 nanotubes

Self-organized anodic titaniananotube layers were doped with nitrogen successfully using ion implantation. Photoelectrochemical measurements combined with XRD measurements show that the damage created by ion bombardment ( that leads to a drastic decrease of the photoconversion efficiency) can be "annealed out" by an adequate heat treatment. This results in a N-doped crystalline anatase nanotube structure with strongly enhanced photocurrent response in both the UV and the visible range.