Materials and patterning techniques for macroelectronics

Flexible thin film transistors (TFTs) with high performance can be fabricated by using printable arrays of microstructured Si ribbons or GaAs wires (mus-Si or mus-GaAs) generated from high-quality, single-crystal, bulk wafers. The resulting Si-based MOSFETs and GaAs-based MESFETs on thin plastic substrates exhibit excellent electrical and mechanical (i.e. bending) properties. The combined use of these materials and printing techniques may advance the development of practical technologies for emerging applications of lightweight, flexible 'macroelectronic' systems in consumer, space, and military applications