Minimal energy configurations of strained multi-layers

We derive an effective plate theory for internally stressed thin elastic layers as are used, e.g., in the fabrication of nano- and microscrolls. The shape of the energy minimizers of the effective energy functional is investigated without a priori assumptions on the geometry. For configurations in two dimensions (corresponding to Euler-Bernoulli theory) we also take into account a non-interpenetration condition for films of small but non-vanishing thickness.