Engineered large area fabrication of ordered InGaAs-GaAs nanotube arrays

Strain induced self-rolling semiconductor nanotubes (SNTs) and related structures represent a new class of building blocks of nanotechnology. They are formed when strained planar bilayers are released from a substrate by selectively removing a sacrificial layer. The top down fabrication approach, compatible with conventional semiconductor processing technology, allows engineered placement of SNTs. In this article, we demonstrate the engineered large area fabrication of ordered InGaAs/GaAs nanotube arrays. In addition, we systematically investigate the crystal orientation dependence of the rolling direction by using a wheel configuration. Other aspects of the fabrication process and their effects on array uniformity are also discussed.