Xiao Research Group                

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Welcome to the Xiao Research Group at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder. Our research focuses on bridging hard and soft materials, to foster new devices, systems and technologies. Specifically, we are interested in
  • Design and fabrication of stretchable/flexible electronics and optoelectronics
  • Integration of hard and soft materials to create smart soft machines
  • Bio-integrated and bio-inspired devices
  • Mechanics of thin films on compliant substrates
  • Mechanics of nanomaterials
Stretchable/flexible electronics offers the electronic performance of conventional wafer-based devices, but with the mechanical properties of a rubber band, which enables applications that are impossible for hard, planar integrated circuits that exist today. Examples are flexible display, bio-integrated diagnostic and therapeutic implements (e.g. flexible EKG and ECoG sensors), bio-inspired devices (e.g. electronic eyeball cameras), and wearable electronics. My primary research interests include experimental and theoretical study of stretchable electronic and optoelectronic devices, mechanics of thin films on compliant substrates, and integration strategies for hard/soft materials. The goal is to develop high performance materials and devices of wide application, and to advance our understanding of the fundamental physics and mechanics.

Nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, and graphenes, possess extraordinary mechanical and electrical properties, and are good candidates for next-generation devices and electronic systems. My research focuses on theoretical study of mechanical behaviors of nanomaterials, and their interaction with substrates, through both analytical and atomistic methods.

See our group profile on ResearcherID and Google scholar.