Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 1, 201 - 207 (2006)
Published online: 5 December 2006 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2006.131
Subject Categories: Electronic properties and devices | Photonic structures and devices | Structural properties
Controlled buckling of semiconductor nanoribbons for stretchable electronics
Yugang Sun1,2,4, Won Mook Choi1, Hanqing Jiang3, Yonggang Y. Huang3 & John A. Rogers1,3
Abstract
Control over the composition, shape, spatial location and/or geometrical configuration of semiconductor nanostructures is important for nearly all applications of these materials. Here we report a mechanical strategy for creating certain classes of three-dimensional shapes in nanoribbons that would be difficult to generate in other ways. This approach involves the combined use of lithographically patterned surface chemistry to provide spatial control over adhesion sites, and elastic deformations of a supporting substrate to induce well-controlled local displacements. We show that precisely engineered buckling geometries can be created in nanoribbons of GaAs and Si in this manner and that these configurations can be described quantitatively with analytical models of the mechanics. As one application example, we show that some of these structures provide a route to electronics (and optoelectronics) with extremely high levels of stretchability (up to 
100%), compressibility (up to 25%) and bendability (with curvature radius down to 5 mm).
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute, and Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Present address: Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
Correspondence to: Yugang Sun1,2,4 e-mail: ygsun@anl.gov
Correspondence to: John A. Rogers1,3 e-mail: jrogers@uiuc.edu
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