High-precision transfer-printing and integration of vertically oriented semiconductor arrays for flexible device fabrication

• Published in: Nano research 2014-07, Vol.7 (7), p.998-1006
• Main Authors: Triplett, Mark, Nishimura, Hideki, Ombaba, Matthew, Logeeswarren, V. J., Yee, Matthew, Polat, Kazim G., Oh, Jin Y., Fuyuki, Takashi, Léonard, François, Islam, M. Saif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrays; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal structure; Density; Devices; Fabrication; Laboratories; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Nanowires; Polymers; Registration; Research Article; Semiconductors; Silicon; Tactile; Temperature; Wire; 制造工艺; 半导体材料; 印刷方法; 垂直阵列; 柔性基板; 触觉传感器; 转印; 高精度
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-014-0462-7

Flexible electronics utilizing single crystalline semiconductors typically require post-growth processes to assemble and incorporate the crystalline materials onto flexible substrates. Here we present a high-precision transfer-printing method for vertical arrays of single crystalline semiconductor materials with widely varying aspect ratios and densities enabling the assembly of arrays on flexible substrates in a vertical fashion. Complementary fabrication processes for integrating transferred arrays into flexible devices are also presented and characterized. Robust contacts to transferred silicon wire arrays are demonstrated and shown to be stable under flexing stress down to bending radii of 20 mm. The fabricated devices exhibit a reversible tactile response enabling silicon based, nonpiezoelectric, and flexible tactile sensors. The presented system leads the way towards high-throughput, manufacturable, and scalable fabrication of flexible devices.