Photos: Bringing nature's complexity to electronics

Microscopic creations

The process could allow complex 3D structures to be built using materials only a few microns thick. Because the process can be used to create silicon structures, it could be used to help make circuitry for range of electronic devices - from battery anodes, to solar cells, and biomedical devices. Researchers hope the structures will have a use in microelectromechanical components, photonics and optoelectronics and metamaterials.

Image: University of Illinois

Many materials

The team at Illinois claim this method bypasses some of the constraints on existing methods for building 3D structures at this scale, which limits the classes of materials that can be used and the complexity of the geometries that can be built.

“Conventional 3D printing technologies are fantastic, but none offers the ability to build microstructures that embed high performance semiconductors, such as silicon,” said John Rogers, a Swanlund Chair and professor of materials science and engineering at Illinois.

“We have presented a remarkably simple route to 3D that starts with planar precursor structures formed in nearly any type of material, including the most advanced ones used in photonics and electronics.”

Image: University of Illinois

Compressive buckling

The technique, called compressive buckling, works by printing a 2D structure onto a layer of material that has been compressed. The 2D printed structure is bound to the compressed substrate at several points and when the substrate is released and expands back into its original shape, the 2D structure sat on top rises up into a 3D form.

Image: University of Illinois

Possible uses

Because the technique could be combined with other fabrication methods, such as photolithography, and processing techniques used in the semiconductor and photonics industries it could be used to create 3D electronic, optoelectronic and electromagnetic equipment.

Image: University of Illinois

An array of shapes

Initial experiments have created more than 40 distinct shapes, ranging from single and multiple helices, toroids and conical spirals, to structures that resemble spherical baskets, cuboid cages, starbursts, flowers, scaffolds and fences.

”We’re now exploiting these ideas in the construction of high performance electronic scaffolds for actively guiding and monitoring growth of tissue cultures, and networks for 3D electronic systems that can bend and shape themselves to the organs of the human body. We’re very enthusiastic about the possibilities,” Rogers said.

Image: University of Illinois

Complex creations

An example of the complexity of the 3D structures that can be created.

Image: University of Illinois

Fine detail

Here you can see the fine detail that can be replicated throughout a structure.

Image: University of Illinois