Block Copolymer Lithography

Abstract

This Perspective addresses the current state of block copolymer lithography and identifies key challenges and opportunities within the field. Significant strides in experimental and theoretical thin film research have nucleated the transition of block copolymers “from lab to fab”, but outstanding questions remain about the optimal materials, processes, and analytical techniques for first-generation devices and beyond. Particular attention herein is focused on advances and issues related to thermal annealing. Block copolymers are poised to change the traditional lithographic resolution enhancement paradigm from “top-down” to “bottom-up”.

Pattern formation mechanisms in sphere-forming diblock copolymer thin films

“…During recent decades, the properties of selfassembling copolymers have received great attention because of their potential use in nanotechnology [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Applications of block copolymer systems include, among others, templates for nanoporous materials, solar cells, and photonic crystals.…”

“…Applications of block copolymer systems include, among others, templates for nanoporous materials, solar cells, and photonic crystals. Perhaps the most pressing application for understanding pattern formation in two-dimensional thin film systems is block copolymer lithography [6][7][8][9]. This process uses self-assembled patterns, such as single layers of cylinders or spheres in Figure 1: AFM phase images of the PS-PEP block copolymer thin film supported on a silicon substrate after annealing at T = 333 K. Left and right panels show the pattern configuration after 5 minutes and 255 minutes of thermal annealing, respectively.…”

Kinetics of directed self-assembly of block copolymers on chemically patterned substrates

“…The latter application exploits a combination of extreme UV lithography and block copolymer self-assembly ("block copolymer lithography" [3,5,6,7]). Extreme UV lithography is employed to fabricate a chemical guiding pattern.…”

Synthesis and Solution Self‐Assembly of Polyisoprene‐block‐poly(ferrocenylmethylsilane): A Diblock Copolymer with an Atactic but Semicrystalline Core‐Forming Metalloblock

“…203,287,[298][299][300][301][302][303][304] BCPs with a metalloblock have garnered significant attention with respect to the formation of nanotemplates. One of the earliest examples involves the formation of arrays of tungstencapped cobalt nanodots using a PS-b-PFEMS diblock copolymer thin film, which is outlined in the schematic in Figure 27.…”