Nanomeshed Si nanomembranes

Abstract

One of the main challenges in stretchable electronics is to achieve high-performance stretchable semiconductors. Here, we introduce an innovative concept of nanomeshed semiconductor nanomembrane which can be regarded almost as intrinsically stretchable to conventional microelectronic layouts. By making a silicon film into homogeneous nanomeshes with spring-like nano traces, we demonstrated a high electron mobility of 50 cm2/V·s, and moderate stretchability with a one-time strain of 25% and cyclic strain of 14% after stretching for 1000 cycles, further improvable with optimized nanomesh designs. A simple analytic model covering both fractional material and trace sidewall surfaces well predicted the transport properties of the normally on silicon nanomesh transistors, enabling future design and optimizations. Besides potential applications in stretchable electronics, this semiconductor nanomesh concept provides a new platform for materials engineering and is expected to yield a new family of stretchable inorganic materials having tunable electronic and optoelectronic properties with customized nanostructures.