Block copolymer thin film pattern formation

P.F. Green, R. Limary, Block copolymer thin films pattern formation and phase behavior. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 94 (2001) 53-81. 

Diblock copolymer poly(methyl methacrylate)-W0c -poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) PMMA- -PHEMA was used as the template for the self-assembly of palladium nanoparticles.98 Thin films of the metal-free block copolymer were obtained by dip coating from different solvents. The copolymer existed in the ordinary form and inverted micelles when it was dissolved in 1,4-dioxane and methanol, respectively. This was attributed to the hydrophilic properties of the PHEMA block. 2-Methoxyethanol, which is a common solvent to both blocks, was also used in the coating. Films obtained from 1,4-dioxane and methanol solutions showed the formation of spherical domains that were arranged in a 2-D hexagonal lattice, while the film obtained from 2-methoxyethanol showed a stripe pattern. Their AFM topography images are shown in Figure 5.19. The block copolymer thin films were then exposed to... 

Fig. 6 Illustration of surface energy effects on the self-assembly of thin films of volume symmetric diblock copolymer (a). Sections b and c show surface-parallel block domains orientation that occur when one block preferentially wets the substrate. Symmetric wetting (b) occurs when the substrate and free surface favor interactions with one block B, which is more hydrophobic. Asymmetric wetting (c) occurs when blocks A and B are favored by the substrate and free surface, respectively. For some systems, a neutral substrate surface energy, which favors neither block, results in a self-assembled domains oriented perpendicular to the film plane (d). Lo is the equilibrium length-scale of pattern formation in the diblock system...

Smith AP, Douglas JF, Meredith JC, Amis EJ, Karim A (2001) Combinatorial study of surface pattern formation in thin block copolymer films. Phys Rev Lett 87 015503... 

It has been demonstrated that polyferrocenylsilanes possess low plasma etch rates, which can be attributed to the formation of a protective layer of involatile iron and silicon compounds. This property has been exploited with PFS block copolymers self-assembled into micelles or phase-separated thin films to deposit patterned ceramics as well as for pattern transfer to the substrate. In our research, we are interested in the direct formation of high metal content magnetic ceramic films by RIE treatment of Co-PFS in the presence of a secondary magnetic field. ... 

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