pps proceeding
Symposium: G16 - Morphology and structural development Keynote Presentation
Orienting Silicon-Containing Block Copolymer Films with Perpendicular Cylinders via Entropy and Surface Plasma Treatment
Lu Kai-Yuan (1), Lo Ting-Ya (1), Georgopanos Prokopios (2), Avgeropoulos Apostolos (2), Shi An-Chang (3), Ho Rong-Ming (1)*
(1) Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University - Hsinchu 30013 - Taiwan, (2) Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina - University Campus, Ioannina 45110 - Greece, (3) Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario - Canada
Controlling the orientation of nanostructured block copolymer (BCP) thin films is essential for next-generation lithography. However, obtaining BCP with perpendicular orientation remains a challenge because of the surface selectivity to the different blocks. This challenge is especially severe for silicon-containing BCPs which is notorious for its high surface energy difference between constituted blocks. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to achieve perpendicular orientation with high aspect ratio using a combination of architecture effect (entropy effect) and surface air plasma treatment (enthalpy effect). Specifically, perpendicular cylinders of star-block copolymers composed of polystyrene and poly(dimethylsiloxane) blocks can be formed from the bottom substrate to the top surface of the thin film.