Open AccessRoom‐temperature plastic inorganic semiconductors for flexible and deformable electronics
Author(s) -
Chen Heyang,
Wei TianRan,
Zhao Kunpeng,
Qiu Pengfei,
Chen Lidong,
He Jian,
Shi Xun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
infomat
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2567-3165
DOI - 10.1002/inf2.12149
Subject(s) - semiconductor , plasticity , materials science , nanotechnology , electronics , brittleness , electronic materials , engineering physics , semiconductor device , flexible electronics , mechanical engineering , composite material , optoelectronics , electrical engineering , engineering , layer (electronics)
Flexible electronics ushers in a revolution to the electronics industry in the 21st century. Ideally, all components of a flexible electronic device including the functional component shall comply with the deformation to ensure the structural and functional integrity, imposing a pressing need for developing room‐temperature strain‐tolerant semiconductors. To this end, there is a long‐standing material dilemma: inorganic semiconductors are typically brittle at room temperature except for size‐induced flexibility; by contrast, organic semiconductors are intrinsically soft and flexible but the electrical performance is poor. This is why the discovery of bulk plasticity in Ag 2 S at room temperature and ZnS in darkness is groundbreaking in solving this long‐standing material dilemma between the mechanical deformability and the electrical performance. The present review summarizes the background knowledge and latest advances in the emerging field of plastic inorganic semiconductors. At the outset, we argue that the plasticity of inorganic semiconductors is vital to strain tolerance of electronic devices, which has not been adequately emphasized. The mechanisms of plasticity are illustrated from the perspective of chemical bonding and dislocations. Plastic inorganic materials, for example, ionic crystals (insulators), ZnS in darkness, and Ag 2 S, are discussed in detail in terms of their prominent mechanical properties and potential applications. We conclude the article with several key scientific and technological questions to address in the future study.