Biomimetic fabrication of 3D structures by spontaneous folding of tapes

This paper describes a biomimetic strategy for the fabrication of 3D structures-including an electrically functional light detector-modeled on the folding of biological macromolecules into globular shapes. The process started by fabricating precursors to 3D, millimeter-sized structures using flexible polymer tapes. These tapes were patterned with metal features supporting liquid solder, crimped into strings of 3D corrugations, and attached to flat polymer tapes to generate linear 3D structures. Capillary interactions between droplets of molten solder on adjacent faces of the crimped tapes resulted in folding of the precursors into quasi-3D and truly 3D structures.