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.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/311/5758/208.full.pdf

Stretchable form of single crystal silicon for high performance electronics on rubber substrates

One-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanostructures have been studied intensively and extensively over the last decade not only for their remarkable chemical and physical properties, but also for their current and future diverse technological applications. This article gives a comprehensive overview of the progress that has been made within the context of 1D ZnO nanostructures synthesized via wet chemical methods. We will cover the synthetic methodologies and corresponding growth mechanisms, different structures, doping and alloying, position-controlled growth on substrates, and finally, their functional properties as catalysts, hydrophobic surfaces, sensors, and in nanoelectronic, optical, optoelectronic, and energy harvesting devices.

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One-dimensional ZnO nanostructures: Solution growth and functional properties

ZnS nanostructures: From synthesis to applications

Considerable efforts have been devoted to enhancing the photocatalytic activity and solar energy utilization of photocatalysts. The fabrication of type II heterostructures plays an important role in photocatalysts modification and has been extensively studied. In this review, we briefly trace the application of type II heterostructured semiconductors in the area of environmental remediation and water splitting, summarize major fabrication methods, describe some of the progress and resulting achievements, and discuss the future prospects. The scope of this review covers a variety of type II heterostructures, focusing particularly on TiO2 and ZnO based visible light driven type II 0D and 1D heterostructured photocatalysts. Some other low dimensional nanomaterials which have shown high-performance photocatalysis are also presented. We expect this review to provide a guideline for readers to gain a clear picture of fabrication and application of type II heterostructures.

Visible light driven type II heterostructures and their enhanced photocatalysis properties: a review

The aim of this review article on recent developments of mechanochemistry (nowadays established as a part of chemistry) is to provide a comprehensive overview of advances achieved in the field of atomistic processes, phase transformations, simple and multicomponent nanosystems and peculiarities of mechanochemical reactions. Industrial aspects with successful penetration into fields like materials engineering, heterogeneous catalysis and extractive metallurgy are also reviewed. The hallmarks of mechanochemistry include influencing reactivity of solids by the presence of solid-state defects, interphases and relaxation phenomena, enabling processes to take place under non-equilibrium conditions, creating a well-crystallized core of nanoparticles with disordered near-surface shell regions and performing simple dry time-convenient one-step syntheses. Underlying these hallmarks are technological consequences like preparing new nanomaterials with the desired properties or producing these materials in a reproducible way with high yield and under simple and easy operating conditions. The last but not least hallmark is enabling work under environmentally friendly and essentially waste-free conditions (822 references).

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Hallmarks of mechanochemistry: From nanoparticles to technology

Vertically aligned ZnO/CdTe core−shell nanocable arrays-on-indium tin oxide (ITO) are fabricated by electrochemical deposition of CdTe on ZnO nanorod arrays in an electrolyte close to neutral pH. By adjusting the total charge quantity applied during deposition, the CdTe shell thickness can be tuned from several tens to hundreds of nanometers. The CdTe shell, which has a zinc-blende structure, is very dense and uniform both radially and along the axial direction of the nanocables, and forms an intact interface with the wurtzite ZnO nanorod core. The absorption of the CdTe shell above its band gap (∼1.5 eV) and the type II band alignment between the CdTe shell and the ZnO core, respectively, demonstrated by absorption and photoluminescence measurements, make a nanocable array-on-ITO architecture a promising photoelectrode with excellent photovoltaic properties for solar energy applications. A photocurrent density of ∼5.9 mA/cm2 has been obtained under visible light illumination of 100 mW cm−2 with zero bias...

Aligned ZnO/CdTe core-shell nanocable arrays on indium tin oxide: synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties.

Size‐Dependent Periodically Twinned ZnSe Nanowires

ZnSe nanoribbons have been synthesized using sputter-coated gold films as catalysts via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on Si (100) substrates. Both x-ray and selected area electron diffractions determine that they have the zinc-blende structure. High-resolution transmission electron microscopic investigations show that their structure is highly ordered and contains coherent twin lamellae near one edge but is essentially free of dislocations. Photoluminescence studies at 10 K show that sharp excitonic peaks dominate their spectra, reflecting their high purity and nearly perfect stoichiometry. New excitonic peaks are observed in the nanoribbons and their possible origins are discussed.

Structure and photoluminescence of ZnSe nanoribbons grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Two-junction-nanowire arrays (SnO2 capped ZnO nanowire arrays on Zn substrate) are synthesized using a two-step-solution-reaction. The bare single crystalline ZnO nanowires give reasonably intense band edge luminescence but also strong green emission likely due to surface defects. The SnO2 capping treatment not only introduces caps on the tip of the ZnO nanowires but also partially passivates the nanowire surfaces, leading to improved near band edge emission and the suppression of the defect luminescence. The nanowire array configuration allows a straight forward electrical measurement on the single nanowire junction (Zn−ZnO−SnO2). The I−V results indicate that a little barrier exists in between the Zn substrate and the nanowire. The observation of more complicated electrical behaviors of the two-junction system (Zn/ZnO/SnO2) discloses the nonuniform doping of the SnO2 cap, which is consistent with the EDX compositional analysis.

Optical and Electrical Performance of SnO2 Capped ZnO Nanowire Arrays

Zinc-blende-structured single-crystalline ZnSe nanowires and nanoribbons were grown on (001) silicon substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The as-synthesized nanowires were characterized by x-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The diameters of the nanowires range from a few tens to 100 nm and the typical length is in the tens of micrometers. Individual strands of the nanowires were examined by transmission electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. They were found to be single crystals elongated along the 〈112〉 crystallographic direction. Strong and narrow room-temperature band-gap light emissions indicate that their optical and electronic properties rival those of the epitaxial layers employed in diode lasers. A possible growth mechanism of the ZnSe nanowires is also discussed.

Suikong Hark

Papers

Aligned ZnO/CdTe core-shell nanocable arrays on indium tin oxide: synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties.

Size‐Dependent Periodically Twinned ZnSe Nanowires

Structure and photoluminescence of ZnSe nanoribbons grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Optical and Electrical Performance of SnO2 Capped ZnO Nanowire Arrays

Growth and luminescence of zinc-blende-structured ZnSe nanowires by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition