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Nanostructure engineering by templated self-assembly of block copolymers

Nature Materials volume 3, pages 823–828 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Self-assembling materials are the building blocks for bottom-up nanofabrication processes, but many self-assembled nanostructures contain defects and lack sufficient long-range order for certain nanotechnology applications. Here we investigate the formation of defects in a self-assembled array of spherical block-copolymer microdomains, using topographical templates to control the local self-assembly. Perfect ordered sphere arrays can form in both constant-width templates and width-modulated templates. For modulated templates, transition between configurations having a constant number of rows and configurations of stable arrays with varying numbers of rows is shown to be analogous to dislocation formation in an epitaxial thin film system. Based on the configuration transition energy and fluctuation energy, designed templates with a high tolerance for lithographical imperfections can direct precisely modulated block-copolymer nanostructures. This study provides insights into the design of hybrid systems combining top-down and bottom-up fabrication.

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Figure 1: The block copolymer PS–PFS in parallel-sided grooves.
Figure 2: PS–PFS arrays in modulated one-dimensional grooves.
Figure 3: Variation in sphere size within arrays of polymer spheres in modulated grooves.
Figure 4: Either constant-N or varying-N configurations can be found in a block copolymer confined in modulated templates with various geometries.
Figure 5: Creation of a specific block-copolymer array geometry by the use of a modulated template.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Henry I. Smith and Mark Mondol for assistance with lithography, J. G. Vancso for polymer synthesis, and E.L. Thomas for discussions. This work was supported by the NSF MRSEC program under award number DMR-0213282, and NSF DMR-0210321.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Joy Y. Cheng, Anne M. Mayes & Caroline A. Ross

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  1. Joy Y. Cheng
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Correspondence to Caroline A. Ross.

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Cheng, J., Mayes, A. & Ross, C. Nanostructure engineering by templated self-assembly of block copolymers. Nature Mater 3, 823–828 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1211

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