Controlled Delamination Through Surface Engineering for Nonplanar Fabrication

A method of forming nonplanar nanostructures on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes treating a portion of the surface of the substrate so as to affect its properties. A film is then applied to the substrate after the surface engineering has been completed. Energy is then applied to the film, causing it to delaminate in the regions where the surface was treated, thereby creating the nonplanar nanostructures. The surface treatment may include the application of a self-assembled molecular (SAM) layer, which includes an anchoring group that allows assembly on the surface of the substrate, and also has a functional group that has the desired interaction with the film. The nonplanar nanostructures may be used to form nanoswitches, resonators, and strain engineered surfaces.