We
propose and demonstrate a cost-effective and facile electrochemical
procedure to detach films with (In,Ga)N nanowires from the original
Si substrate used for growth. Without ultraviolet illumination and
mechanical force, this lift-off process can be completed quickly within
a few seconds. The key element for the underlying mechanism is a thin
AlN layer, which acts both as a buffer layer in the epitaxial process
and as a sacrificial layer in the etching process. Taking advantage
of the high etching selectivity of AlN over GaN, the AlN layer can
be etched quickly whereas only few reactants remain on the GaN NWs,
and the latter do not suffer from corrosion. Based on this lift-off
procedure, a film comprising a dense ensemble of (In,Ga)N nanowires
with good flexibility and transmittance can be obtained easily. We
show both light emission and mechanical–electrical energy conversion
for such detached films, hence substantiating perspectives for future
applications. Therefore, this lift-off method for GaN-based nanowire
films is promising for mass production and various devices requiring
high flexibility and/or high transmittance, including wearable intelligent
electronics and piezoelectric devices.
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