Fabricating flexible wafer-size inorganic semiconductor devices

Abstract

Owing to their distinct electrical and optoelectronic properties, inorganic semiconductors play an increasingly important role in the field of flexible devices. However, the inherent brittleness of inorganic semiconductors seriously limits their application and durability. In this study, we demonstrate a scheme for improving the flexibility of inorganic semiconductor materials. A wafer-size film is fabricated by dropping and annealing semiconductor ink onto a piece of paper. The film can withstand 100 000 bends without a significant change in resistance. This superior flexibility can be attributed to the suppression of strain localization by the substrate. In addition, the film shows considerable stability when stored in a natural environment and can remain mostly undisturbed when immersed in water for an extended time. This study proposes a method for fabricating highly reliable inorganic semiconductors, leading to their extensive application in flexible devices.