Self-assembling morphologies of symmetrical PS-b-PMMA in different sized confining grooves

Chen, Wenhui; Luo, Jun; Shi, Peixiong; Li, Chunlong; He, Xiaobin; Hong, Peizhen; Li, Junfeng; Zhao, Chao

doi:10.1039/c4ra09573a

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The choice between the stretched or the compressed configuration is driven by the free energy of the DBC chains. 36 Similar results have been reported for lamellae forming DBC 34,39 and for a ternary blends of cylinder-forming PS-b-PMMA, PS and PMMA homopolymers. 40 Moreover in the case of sphere forming thin films, it has been demonstrated that, if l >> W, the effect of confinement is anisotropic, and consequently different values are observed when measuring L0 in the direction along the long (L0l) or short (L0w) side of the trench.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Toward Lateral Length Standards at the Nanoscale Based on Diblock Copolymers

Aprile

Lupi

Fretto

et al. 2017

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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The self-assembly (SA) of diblock copolymers (DBCs) based on phase separation into different morphologies of small and high-density features is widely investigated as a patterning and nanofabrication technique. The integration of conventional top-down approaches with the bottom-up SA of DBCs enables the possibility to address the gap in nanostructured lateral length standards for nanometrology, consequently supporting miniaturization processes in device fabrication. On this topic, we studied the pattern characteristic dimensions (i.e., center-to-center distance L and diameter D) of a cylinder-forming polystyrene-b-poly( methyl methacrylate) PS-b-PMMA (54 kg mol, styrene fraction 70%) DBC when confined within periodic SiO trenches of different widths (W, ranging between 75 and 600 nm) and fixed length (l, 5.7 μm). The characteristic dimensions of the PMMA cylinder structure in the confined configurations were compared with those obtained on a flat surface (L = 27.8 ± 0.5 nm, D = 13.0 ± 1.0 nm). The analysis of D as a function of W evolution indicates that the eccentricity of the PMMA cylinders decreases as a result of the deformation of the cylinder in the direction perpendicular to the trenches. The center-to-center distance in the direction parallel to the long side of the trenches (L) is equal to L measured on the flat surface, whereas the one along the short side (L) is subjected to an appreciable variation (ΔL = 5 nm) depending on W. The possibility of finely tuning L maintaining constant L paves the way to the realization of a DBC-based transfer standard for lateral length calibration with periods in the critical range between 20 and 50 nm wherein no commercial transfer standards are available. A prototype transfer standard with cylindrical holes was used to calibrate the linear correction factor c(Δx') of an atomic force microscope for a scan length of Δx' = 1 μm. The relative standard uncertainty of the correction factor was only 1.3%, and the second-order nonlinear correction was found to be significant.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…In particular, the DBC order is maintained along the entire trench length. In addition, the DSA approach guarantees the formation of a periodic template with controlled characteristic dimensions. , …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Lateral Length Standards at the Nanoscale Based on Diblock Copolymers

Aprile

Lupi

Fretto

et al. 2017

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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“…Under solvent annealing, the rearrangement of BCP molecules, known as self-assembly, can lead to various ordered nanostructures with nanoscale dimensions. [33][34][35] Therefore, if the BCP lm is slightly cross-linked, the crosslinked polymer network is too small to restrict the molecular movement. Thus, surface molecules will be rearranged because of the mismatch between the integer multiple of the characteristic spacing and initial lm thickness to nally form holes or islands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinetic study of a swelling-induced network of folds in a cross-linked PS-PDMS film

Yao

Chen

et al. 2015

RSC Adv.

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“…We fabricated a thickness-modulated lamella-forming PS- b -PMMA thin film on a silicon substrate with periodic topographic confinement. It is noteworthy that the used bare silicon substrate is free of chemical pretreatments [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Unlike a lamella-forming BCP thin film, where chemical pretreatment such as a polymer brush is needed to realize the surface-perpendicular orientation, we simplified the fabrication process by using a bare silicon wafer without a neutral layer [ 25 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Thickness-Modulated Block Copolymer Thin Films for Controlling Nanodomain Orientations inside Bare Silicon Trenches

Shin

Kim

et al. 2021

Polymers

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We study the orientation and ordering of nanodomains of a thickness-modulated lamellar block copolymer (BCP) thin film at each thickness region inside a topological nano/micropattern of bare silicon wafers without chemical pretreatments. With precise control of the thickness gradient of a BCP thin film and the width of a bare silicon trench, we successfully demonstrate (i) perfectly oriented lamellar nanodomains, (ii) pseudocylindrical nanopatterns as periodically aligned defects from the lamellar BCP thin film, and (iii) half-cylindrical nanostructure arrays leveraged by a trench sidewall with the strong preferential wetting of the PMMA block of the BCP. Our strategy is simple, efficient, and has an advantage in fabricating diverse nanopatterns simultaneously compared to conventional BCP lithography utilizing chemical pretreatments, such as a polymer brush or a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The proposed self-assembly nanopatterning process can be used in energy devices and biodevices requiring various nanopatterns on the same device and as next-generation nanofabrication processes with minimized fabrication steps for low-cost manufacturing techniques.

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Self-assembling morphologies of symmetrical PS-b-PMMA in different sized confining grooves

Abstract: Directed self-assembly (DSA), an emerging lithographic technique, has attracted increasing attention as a result of its advantages of low cost, high throughput and convenient processing.

Cited by 8 publications

References 41 publications

Toward Lateral Length Standards at the Nanoscale Based on Diblock Copolymers

Toward Lateral Length Standards at the Nanoscale Based on Diblock Copolymers

Kinetic study of a swelling-induced network of folds in a cross-linked PS-PDMS film

Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Thickness-Modulated Block Copolymer Thin Films for Controlling Nanodomain Orientations inside Bare Silicon Trenches

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