A Stretchable Form of Single Crystal Silicon for High Performance Electronics on Rubber Substrates

• US 20060286785A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Sun, Yugang, Khang, Dahl-Young, Rogers, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,521,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/584
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0185 Printing, e.g. microcontact printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02422 Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02521 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02546 Arsenides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02628 using solutions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/291 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2919 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80894 Direct bonding, i.e. joining surfaces by means of intermolecular attracting interactions at their interfaces, e.g. covalent bonds, van der Waals forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8385 using a polymer adhesive, e.g. an adhesive based on silicone, epoxy, polyimide, polyester
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/293 Organic, e.g. plastic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3157 Partial encapsulation or coating mask layer used as insulation layer H01L21/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/564 Details not otherwise provided for, e.g. protection against moisture getters H01L23/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/80 Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1266 : the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1285 : using control of the annealing or irradiation parameters, e.g. using different scanning direction or intensity for different transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1292 : using liquid deposition, e.g. printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/06 : characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 : the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 : oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0676 : oriented perpendicular or at an angle to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/068 : comprising a junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/151 : Compositional structures H01L29/157 and H01L29/158 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/158 : Structures without potential periodicity in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate, i.e. vertical direction, e.g. lateral superlattices, lateral surface superlattices [LSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/16 : including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1602 : Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1606 : Graphene
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/72 : Transistor-type devices, i.e. able to continuously respond to applied control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7781 : with inverted single heterostructure, i.e. with active layer formed on top of wide bandgap layer, e.g. IHEMT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78681 : having a semiconductor body comprising AIIIBV or AIIBVI or AIVBVI semiconductor materials, or Se or Te
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78696 : characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. multichannel, transverse or longitudinal shape, length or width, doping structure, or the overlap or alignment between the channel and the gate, the source or the drain, or the contacting structure of the channel H01L29/78612 takes precedence; transistors having a drain offset region or a lightly doped drain [LDD] H01L29/78621
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01002 : Helium [He]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01003 : Lithium [Li]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0101 : Neon [Ne]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01011 : Sodium [Na]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 : Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0103 : Zinc [Zn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 : Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01049 : Indium [In]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01051 : Antimony [Sb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01067 : Holmium [Ho]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01072 : Hafnium [Hf]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0132 : Binary Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10336 : Aluminium gallium arsenide [AlGaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10349 : Aluminium gallium indium phosphide [AlGaInP]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12032 : Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12036 : PN diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13063 : Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MESFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3512 : Cracking
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0392 : including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate textured substrates H01L31/02366
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03925 : including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03926 : comprising a flexible substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 : Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 : comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0277 : Bendability or stretchability details H05K1/038, H05K3/4691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 : Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 : Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention may be adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Claims

1. A stretchable semiconductor element comprising:

a flexible substrate having a supporting surface; and

a semiconductor structure having a curved internal surface, wherein at least a portion of said curved internal surface is bonded to said supporting surface of said flexible substrate.

2. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure is a bent semiconductor structure.

3. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure has a wave-shaped, wrinkled, coiled or buckled conformation.

4. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure is under strain.

5. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure is under strain selected over the range of about 1% to about 30%.

6. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved internal surface has at least one convex region, at least one concave region or a combination of at least one convex region and at least one concave region.

7. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved internal surface has a contour profile comprising a periodic wave or an aperiodic wave.

8. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure has a conformation comprising a periodic wave that extends at least a portion of the length of said structure.

9. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 8 wherein said bent semiconductor structure has a sine wave conformation having a periodicity selected from the range of about 1 micron and 100 microns and an amplitude selected from the range of about 50 nanometers and about 5 microns.

10. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure has a conformation comprising a plurality of buckles that extend along the length of said structure.

11. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure comprises a ribbon, wire, strip, disc, or platelet.

12. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 2 wherein said bent semiconductor structure has a conformation that that varies spatially in one-dimension or two dimensions, wherein said internal surface has a contour profile that that varies spatially in one-dimension or two dimensions.

13. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure has a thickness selected over the range of about 50 nanometers to about 50 microns.

14. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved internal surface is continuously bonded to said supporting surface at substantially all points along said curved internal surface.

15. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said curved internal surface is discontinuously bonded to said supporting surface at selected points along said curved internal surface.

16. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said flexible substrate comprises a polymer.

17. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure is a single crystalline inorganic semiconductor material.

18. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

Si, Ge, SiC, AlP, AlAs, AlSb, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, InSb, ZnO, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, AlGaAs, AlInAs, AlInP, GaAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, AlGaAsSb, AlGaInP, and GaInAsP, carbon nanotubes, graphene and GaN.

19. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure comprises a printable semiconductor element.

20. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 further comprising an encapsulating layer in contact with said semiconductor structure having a curved internal surface.

21. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure is bonded to said flexible substrate via an adhesive layer, coating or thin film positioned between said semiconductor structure and said flexible substrate

22. The stretchable semiconductor element of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor structure is bonded to said flexible substrate via hydrogen bonding, van der Waals interactions, or dipole-dipole interactions between said semiconductor structure and said flexible substrate.

23. A method for making a stretchable semiconductor element, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a transferable semiconductor structure having an internal surface;

providing a prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state, wherein said elastic substrate has an external surface; and

bonding at least a portion of said internal surface of said transferable semiconductor structure to said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state; and

allowing said elastic substrate to at least partially relax to a relaxed state, wherein relaxation of the elastic substrate bends said semiconductor structure, thereby generating said stretchable semiconductor element.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said transferable semiconductor element is a printable semiconductor element.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate is expanded along a first axis or is expanded along first and second axes, wherein said second axis is positioned orthogonal to said first axis.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said elastic substrate is prestrained by introducing a strain of about 1% to about 30%.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state is formed by bending, rolling, flexing or expanding said elastic substrate.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state is formed by raising the temperature of said elastic substrate.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of transferring said bent semiconductor a flexible receiving substrate.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein bonding at least a portion of said internal surface of said transferable semiconductor structure to said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate is provided by covalent bonding, van der Waals interactions, dipole-dipole interactions or hydrogen bonding or any combination of these interactions between said semiconductor structure and said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate has a plurality of hydroxyl groups disposed thereon to provide bonding between said semiconductor structure and said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein bonding at least a portion of said internal surface of said transferable semiconductor structure to said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate is provided by an adhesive thin film between said semiconductor structure and said elastic substrate.

33. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of encapsulating said stretchable semiconductor element with an encapsulating layer.

34. A stretchable electronic circuit comprising:

a flexible substrate having a supporting surface; and

an electronic circuit having a curved internal surface, wherein at least a portion of said curved internal surface is bonded to said supporting surface of said flexible substrate.

35. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said electronic circuit is a printable electronic circuit.

36. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said electronic circuit comprises a plurality of integrated device components selected from the group consisting of:

a semiconductor element;

a dielectric element;

an electrode;

a conductive element; and

a doped semiconductor element.

37. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said electronic circuit is a bent electronic circuit.

38. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit has a wave-shaped, wrinkled, coiled or buckled conformation.

39. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit is under strain.

40. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit is under strain selected over the range of about 1% to about 30%.

41. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said curved internal surface has a contour profile characterized by a periodic wave or an aperiodic wave.

42. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit has a conformation comprising a periodic wave that extends at least a portion of the length of said electronic circuit.

43. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit has a sine wave conformation having a periodicity selected from the range of about 1 micron and 100 microns and an amplitude selected from the range of about 50 nanometers and about 5 microns.

44. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit has a conformation comprising a plurality of buckles that extend along the length of said electronic circuit.

45. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 37 wherein said bent electronic circuit has a conformation that that varies spatially in one-dimension or two dimensions, wherein said internal surface has a contour profile that that varies spatially in one-dimension or two dimensions.

46. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said electronic circuit has a thickness selected over the range of about 50 nanometers to about 50 microns.

47. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 wherein said electronic circuit is bonded to said flexible substrate via an adhesive layer, coating or thin film positioned between said electronic circuit and said flexible substrate.

48. The stretchable electronic circuit of claim 34 further comprising an encapsulating layer in contact with said electronic circuit having a curved internal surface.

49. A method for making a stretchable electronic circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a transferable electronic circuit having an internal surface;

providing a prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state, wherein said elastic substrate has an external surface; and

bonding at least a portion of said internal surface of said transferable electronic circuit to said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state; and

allowing said elastic substrate to relax at least partially to a relaxed state, wherein relaxation of the elastic substrate bends said electronic circuit, thereby making said stretchable electronic circuit.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said transferable electronic circuit is a printable electronic circuit.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate is expanded along a first axis or is expanded along first and second axes, wherein said second axis is positioned orthogonal to said first axis.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein said elastic substrate is prestrained by introducing a strain of about 1% to about 30%.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state is formed by bending, rolling, flexing, expanding or raising the temperature of said elastic substrate.

54. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of transferring said bent transferable electronic circuit to a receiving substrate that is flexible.

55. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of encapsulating said stretchable electronic circuit with an encapsulating layer.

56. The method of claim 49 further comprising the steps of:

assembling said transferable electronic circuit donor substrate; and

transferring said transferable electronic circuit to said prestrained elastic substrate in an expanded state.

57. The method of claim 49 wherein bonding at least a portion of said internal surface of said transferable electronic circuit to said external surface of said prestrained elastic substrate is provided by an adhesive thin film between said printable electronic circuit and said elastic substrate.