Controlled Assembly and Dispersion of Strain-Induced InGaAs/GaAs Nanotubes

Group III-V semiconductor nanotubes (SNTs) are formed when strained planar bilayers are released from the substrate. Compared to other nanotechnology building blocks, one of the main advantages of SNTs is the capability of precise positioning due to the top-down fabrication approach. In this letter, we demonstrate large-area assembly of ordered arrays of In_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs nanotubes and the dispersion of their freestanding form into solution and onto foreign substrates. In addition, we systematically investigate the crystal orientation dependence of rolling behavior using a wheel configuration, which serves as a guide for assembly homogeneity. Theoretical and experimental evaluations of tube diameters are also discussed.