Transferrable single-crystal silicon nanomembranes and their application to flexible microwave systems

This paper summarizes the recent fabrication and characterizations of flexible high-speed radio frequency (RF) transistors, PIN-diode single-pole single-throw switches, as well as flexible inductors and capacitors, based on single-crystalline Si nanomembranes transferred on polyethylene terephthalate substrates. Flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) on plastic substrates have reached RF operation speed with a record cut-off/maximum oscillation frequency ($f_T/f_{max}$) values of 3.8/12 GHz. PIN diode switches exhibit excellent ON/OFF behaviors at high RF frequencies. Flexible inductors and capacitors compatible with high-speed TFT fabrication show resonance frequencies ($f_{res}$) up to 9.1 and 13.5 GHz, respectively. Robust mechanical characteristics were also demonstrated with these high-frequency passives components.