Diverse macroscopic helical motions of microribbons driven by electrons

Novel stimuli-responsive microscale materials capable of undergoing diverse out-of-plane helical motions (e.g., bending, twisting and coiling) when exposed to electron irradiation are reported. The macroscopic morphological changes of microribbons induced by electrons arise from the combination of diagonal in-plane, non-bonded distortion relative to the long axis of the microribbon and vertical non-bonded distortion.