GaN-based light-emitting diodes on origami substrates

GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were transferred to paper substrates after a laser lift-off (LLO) process with an ArF excimer laser system (λ = 193 nm) to remove the sapphire substrate and produce freestanding blue LED templates. The threshold voltage (∼2.7 V), current-voltage characteristics, and peak emission wavelength (442 nm) were not changed after the paper substrate was subsequently wrinkled. We were able to demonstrate transfers to both planar and folded (origami) paper structures, showing the promise of the LLO process for transferring LEDs to arbitrary surfaces.