Fabrication of Flexible Single-Crystal Si Substrate and Novel Nanostructures and Their Properties Characterization

Recently, flexible Si nanoelectronics have drawn considerable research interest because of their potential applications in wearable computers, malleable displays, solar cells, medical implants, and gas and biosensors. A variety of techniques have been used to fabricate various nanostructures on flexible substrates. However, the precise controls of size, morphology, crystallographic orientation, and periodicity of the nanostructures produced are still the major challenges. In addition, for the applications of flexible Si nanoelectronics, in-depth understanding the interfacial reactions between the nanostructures produced and Si substrates will play a key role in defining the use of these nanostructures in flexible nanoelectronics. Therefore, in this three-year project, particular emphasis will be focused on the developments of novel self-assembly nanosphere template and thin anodized aluminum oxide template approaches, fabrication of well-ordered arrays of size-tunable 0D and 1D nanostructure arrays on various flexible Si substrates, and systematically investigating the interfacial reaction mechanisms, and the corresponding gas-sensing, electron field-emission, and imprint properties.The main research tasks of this proposed three-year project include the following:1.Process design and development for self-assembly of large-area nanotemplates on the surface of Si substrate without the native oxide layer.2.Interfacial reactions between the ion-implanted a-Si layer and the well-ordered metal nanodots array prepared by nanotemplate lithography.3.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of periodic arrays of catalytic metal nanostructures, Si micro/nano holes, and Si nanowires on various Si substrates.4.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of large-area, well-ordered arrays of vertically-aligned single-crystal Si nanotubes.5.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of flexible, ultra-thin single-crystal Si substrate and flexible Si nanostructures array.6.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of point contact-based Si nanowire gas sensing devices, and investigating their gas sensing capabilities.7.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of well-ordered arrays of vertically-aligned needle-like Si nanowires on various flexible Si substrates.8.Developing novel technologies for the fabrication of well-ordered arrays of vertically-aligned silicide nanotubes and needle-like silicide nanowires, and investigating their silicidation processes.9.Investigation of electron field-emission and imprint properties of novel vertically-aligned nanostructure arrays.