NOVELTY - An apparatus comprises nanowire pillars (12), and a substrate (6) supporting the nanowire pillars. The nanowire pillars are arranged in a two dimensional periodic array. The periodic array has a pillar to pillar pitch of less than 800 nm, and a pillar aspect ratio of greater than 5:1.    USE - Apparatus for wide band collection and conversion of solar energy.    ADVANTAGE - The apparatus has low cost and is scalable.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) manufacture of apparatus comprising providing a structure including nanowire pillars, the providing step includes providing the nanowire pillars to be arranged on a substrate in a two dimensional array, and providing the structure so that pillars included in the nanowire pillars exhibit an absorptivity and reflectivity characteristic that is responsive to a force imparted to the structure; and receiving at the structure a force imparted to the structure so that an absorptivity and reflectivity characteristic of pillars included in the nanowire pillars changes from a first characteristic to a second characteristic;    (2) a method for determining a strain exhibited by a deformable body comprising providing a deformable nanowire structure (100) having nanowire pillars arranged in a two dimensional array of nanowire pillars, where the nanowire structure has a substrate supporting the nanowire pillars; disposing the nanowire structure so that a deformation of the deformable body is translated to deform the nanowire structure; and observing a change in absorptivity and reflectivity of pillars included in the nanowire pillars; and    (3) a method for determining a curvature of a curved body comprising providing a deformable nanowire structure having nanowire pillars arranged in a two dimensional array of nanowire pillars; disposing the nanowire structure so that the nanowire structure conforms to a curved surface of the curved body; and observing absorptivity and reflectivity of pillars included in the nanowire pillars.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a perspective view of a nanowire structure apparatus.    Substrate (6)    Pillars (12)    Nanowire structure (100)