Title: Origami silicon optoelectronics for hemispherical electronic eye systems

Abstract

Digital image sensors in hemispherical geometries offer unique imaging advantages over their planar counterparts, such as wide field of view and low aberrations. Deforming miniature semiconductor-based sensors with high-spatial resolution into such format is challenging. Here we report a simple origami approach for fabricating single-crystalline silicon-based focal plane arrays and artificial compound eyes that have hemisphere-like structures. Convex isogonal polyhedral concepts allow certain combinations of polygons to fold into spherical formats. Using each polygon block as a sensor pixel, the silicon-based devices are shaped into maps of truncated icosahedron and fabricated on flexible sheets and further folded either into a concave or convex hemisphere. These two electronic eye prototypes represent simple and low-cost methods as well as flexible optimization parameters in terms of pixel density and design. Results demonstrated in this work combined with miniature size and simplicity of the design establish practical technology for integration with conventional electronic devices.

Authors:

Zhang, Kan ^[1]; Jung, Yei Hwan  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-1754-2602"
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Mikael, Solomon ^[1]; Seo, Jung-Hun  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-5039-2503"
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Kim, Munho ^[1]; Mi, Hongyi ^[1]; Zhou, Han ^[1]; Xia, Zhenyang ^[1]; Zhou, Weidong ^[2]; Gong, Shaoqin ^[3]; Ma, Zhenqiang ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2. Univ. of Texas, Arlington, TX (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering
3. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Biomedical Engineering and Wisconsin Inst. for Discovery

Publication Date:

2017-11-24

Research Org.:

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); Presidential Early Career Award in Science & Engineering (PECASE)

OSTI Identifier:

1529347

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1545609

Grant/Contract Number:  

NA0002915; FA9550-09-1-0482

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Nature Communications

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:

Nature Publishing Group

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING