Stretchable silicon is a flexible form of silicon manufactured in thin, wavelike ribbons that can be expanded and compressed like accordion bellows. The ribbons are approximately 100 nanometers thick and are placed on a rubber substrate.
Silicon is a chemical element plentiful in rocks and sand. It is a semiconductor material extensively used in electronic components such as diodes and integrated circuits.
Stretchable silicon has potentially far-reaching applications. Scientists believe it could be used to manufacture pliable versions of a wide range of products, including:
- memory chips
- microprocessors
- smart clothes
- sensors
- photovoltaic cells
- electronic paper
- electronic newspapers
- ultra-thin rollable computer displays
- skins for artificial limbs.
A manufacturing process for stretchable silicon diodes has been developed by researchers working for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The evolution of more sophisticated stretchable semiconductor devices is expected to take several years.
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