Orienting Silicon-Containing Block Copolymer Films with Perpendicular Cylinders via Entropy and Surface Plasma Treatment

Controlling the orientation of nanostructured block copolymer (BCP) thin films is essential for next-generation lithography. However, obtaining BCP with perpendicular orientation remains a challenge because of the surface selectivity to the different blocks. This challenge is especially severe for s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Macromolecules 2017-12, Vol.50 (23), p.9403-9410
Main Authors: Lu, Kai-Yuan, Lo, Ting-Ya, Georgopanos, Prokopios, Avgeropoulos, Apostolos, Shi, An-Chang, Ho, Rong-Ming
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Controlling the orientation of nanostructured block copolymer (BCP) thin films is essential for next-generation lithography. However, obtaining BCP with perpendicular orientation remains a challenge because of the surface selectivity to the different blocks. This challenge is especially severe for silicon-containing BCPs which is notorious for its high surface energy difference between constituted blocks. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to achieve perpendicular orientation with high aspect ratio using a combination of architecture effect (entropy effect) and surface air plasma treatment (enthalpy effect). Specifically, perpendicular cylinders of star-block copolymers composed of polystyrene and poly­(dimethylsiloxane) blocks can be formed from the bottom substrate to the top surface of the thin film.
ISSN:0024-9297
1520-5835
DOI:10.1021/acs.macromol.7b02218