Transfer techniques for single-crystal silicon/germanium nanomembranes and their application in flexible electronics

Abstract

Single-crystal silicon and germanium are the basis of the modern semiconductor industry. They exhibit unique mechanical, optical, electrical, and thermal properties when their thicknesses decrease to the nanoscale. Ultra-small thickness provides silicon and germanium flexibility. Compared with organic semiconductors, silicon and germanium have much higher carrier mobility. This makes them ideal components for high-performance devices and gives them great potential in the application of the internet of things, wearable/implantable electronics, and bio-electronics. In this review, we discuss the strategies of “Device-Last Approach and “Device-First Approach for silicon and germanium nanomembrane devices and their applications in flexible electronics. The latest development of transferred nanomembranes and their applications in flexible electronics, as well as the scientific and technique issues to be solved, are specifically discussed.