Integration of Density Multiplication in the Formation of Device-Oriented Structures by Directed Assembly of Block Copolymer-Homopolymer Blends

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2010-04, Vol.20 (8), p.1251-1257
• Main Authors: Liu, Guoliang, Thomas, Carla S., Craig, Gordon S. W., Nealey, Paul F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrays; Assembly; Bends; Blends; Block copolymers; Density; density multiplication; device-oriented structures; directed assembly; Nanocomposites; Nanostructure
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200902229

Non‐regular, device‐oriented structures can be directed to assemble on chemically nanopatterned surfaces such that the density of features in the assembled pattern is multiplied by a factor of two or more compared to the chemical pattern. By blending the block copolymers with homopolymers and designing the chemical pattern rationally, complicated structures such as bends, jogs, junctions, terminations, and combined structures are fabricated. Previously, directed assembly of block copolymers has been shown to enhance the resolution of lithographic processes for hexagonal arrays of spots and parallel lines, corresponding to the bulk morphologies of block copolymer systems, but this is the first demonstration of enhanced resolution for more complicated, device‐oriented features. This fundamental knowledge broadens the range of technologies that can be served by the directed assembly of block copolymers. Non‐regular, device‐oriented structures can be interpolated to multiply the feature density by the directed assembly of block copolymer–homopolymer blends on a chemically patterned substrate. By blending the block copolymers with homopolymers and designing the chemical pattern rationally, complicated structures such as bends, jogs, junctions, terminations, and combined structures are fabricated. This broadens the range of technologies that block copolymer directed assembly can serve.