SITIS Topic Details |
||||||
| Proposals Accepted: | |
| Program: | STTR |
| Topic Number: | AF10-BT14 (AirForce) |
| Title: | Nanomembrane Photonic, Electronic, and Mechatronic Components | Research & Technical Areas: | Sensors |
| Objective: | Design and develop semiconductor photonic/electronic/mechanical components and systems, using single-crystal semiconductor nanomembranes or their integration with noncrystalline polymeric nanomembranes.
| Description: | Inorganic nanomembranes (free-standing sheets 3 to 1000nm thick and with cm lateral dimensions) have, in the last several years, demonstrated great potential to become a disruptive technology, driven primarily by the successes shown with Group IV crystalline nanomembranes in flexible shaped electronics and optoelectronics. The drivers for this potential are the inherently novel electronic and mechanical properties of these sheets; their flexibility, conformability, and transferability to other hosts; the ability to introduce strain (and thus novel properties associated with strain) in ways not possible with bulk materials; and the ability to integrate membranes of different materials because of the much better bondability of membranes than bulk material.
It is evident that a huge potential exists for applications of membranes beyond what has so far been demonstrated. In particular, the range of successes so far shown in Si should be directly extendable to III-V and II-VI nanomembranes, with a consequent much greater potential for novel photonic devices. All crystalline semiconductor nanomembranes have significant potential for exploitation of mechanical and mechatronic properties. This area has barely been touched. For example, shape changes can induce electronic transport changes, and surface modification can change the shape of nanomembranes.
The integration of nanomembranes of different materials is another area of great potential. In Si, so far this potential has begun to be demonstrated by hybrid-orientation and hybrid-composition technologies (HOT and HCT), with the layering of membranes of different orientations or different compositions. This technology can be extended to take advantage of the properties of other materials, including polymer membranes. A vast opportunity exists: integration of optics and electronics, improved heterojunction solar cells, diffusional transport with electronic monitoring; shape changes as switches, ion sensors, or antennas; chemically sensitive resonators, and so on.
A third area, which naturally involves integration of different nanomembranes, is the use of strain to engineer different shapes (tubes, rolled rugs, corkscrews, etc.) that have unique mechanical, electronic, and optical properties. They can be formed by integrating nearly all materials (crystalline or organic) that have different strain properties, including lattice or thermal-mismatch strain. Such nanomembrane structures offer potential in sensors, shaped electronics, novel light sources, and microfluidics, and specifically in mechanoelectronic applications where shape changes produce different resonant frequencies and Q values.
Of interest are innovative approaches using mechanical and electronic properties of single-material or integrated nanomembranes for the development of innovative devices in the areas of optoelectronics, photonics, optics, flexible electronics, sensors, power sources, or communications using any of the above approaches or suggested applications.
| PHASE I: Demonstrate innovative approaches for one or more of the above listed technologies. Feasibility of a novel application will involve simulation of the device design, predicted design specifications, demonstration of processing steps, and progress toward an actual prototype.
| PHASE II: Develop a manufacturable prototype in the above application areas. Demonstrate integration with requisite control & necessary other components to make a complete optoelectronic, photonic, electronic, mechatronic, or energy conversion/power system. Demonstrate superiority, if applicable, over existing approaches or devices.
| PHASE III | DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION:
Military Application: Nanomembranes have the potential for revolutionizing many fields, including imaging, communication, information processing, sensing, and energy conversion.
Commercial Application: Applications include imaging, communication, information processing, sensing, energy conversion, and even personalized medicine.
| References: |
1. H.-C. Yuan, G. Wang, M. M. Roberts, D. E. Savage, M. G. Lagally, and Z. Ma, “Flexible thin-film transistors on biaxial- and uniaxial-strained Si and SiGe membranes,” Semiconductor Science and Technology 22, S72 (2007). 2. H.C. Ko, M.P. Stoykovich, J. Song, V. Malyarchuk, W.M. Choi, C.-J. Yu, J.B. Geddes, J. Xiao, S. Wang, Y. Huang and J.A. Rogers, “A hemispherical electronic eye camera based on compressible silicon optoelectronics,” Nature 454, 748 (2008). 3. F. Cavallo, R. Songmuang, and O.G. Schmidt, “Fabrication and electrical characterization of Si-based rolled-up microtubes”, Appl. Phys. Letters 93, 143113 (2008). 4. Y.F. Mei, G.S. Huang, A.A. Solovev, E. Bermudez-Urena, I. Mönch, F. Ding, T. Reindl, R.K.Y. Fu, P.K. Chu, and O. G. Schmidt, “Versatile approach for integrative and functionalized tubes by strain engineering of nanomembranes on polymers”, Advanced Materials. DOI: 10.1002/adma.20080158. |
| Keywords: | nanomembranes, nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, semiconductor, polymer, crystalline, noncrystalline, mechatronic, optoelectronic, photonic, mechanical devices; optics, flexible electronics, sensors, communications, energy conversion, optical electronic and mechanical properties |
Questions and Answers: |
No questions posed on this topic at this time |
As of midnight September 1, questions for solicitations SBIR 10.3 and STTR 10.B will no longer be accepted.
To read the solicitation for full proposal preparation and submission details click here. |