Ordering block copolymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823568-B2
Application number	US-201715409125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A method for ordering block copolymers including forming a first layer having a first preference mode; and providing a reactive agent in selected regions of the first layer that modifies the selected regions to a second preference mode, wherein the selected regions define other regions of the first layer retaining the first preference mode thereby forming an alignment layer for block copolymers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of aligning and orienting block copolymers comprising:
a) providing a block copolymer comprising repeat units of block A and block B, a substrate, and materials for forming layers;
b) forming a first layer on said substrate that either preferentially wets block A of said block copolymer, or is neutral and does not preferentially wet either block of said block copolymer, said first layer comprising a reactive agent carriers;
c) forming a block copolymer layer on top of and adjoining said first layer;
d) before or after step c), selectively irradiating said reactive agent carriers of said first layer in a pattern whereby the irradiated reactive agent carriers provide the reactive agent into the selected regions of the first layer so as to modify the preferential wetting of said selected regions;
e) application of a topcoat on top of the block copolymer layer so as to create an assembly; and
f) treating said assembly so as to orient and align the block copolymer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said treating comprises thermal annealing.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said topcoat does not preferentially wet either block of said block copolymer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said topcoat does preferentially wet either block of said block copolymer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method further comprises treating said first layer such that the reactive agents are diffused, thereby enlarging in size of the selected regions of the first layer and reducing in size the other regions of the first layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive agent carriers are introduced into said first layer after it is formed in step b).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive agent carriers are introduced into said topcoat layer after it is formed in step d).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive agent carriers are photoacid generators.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive agent is an acid.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reactive agent is a base.

Assignees

• Univ Texas
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Willson C Grant
• Ellison Christopher
• Maher Michael
• Bates Christopher
• Janes Dustin

Classifications

• C09D153/00 Primary

  Coating compositions based on block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Coating compositions based on derivatives of such polymers · CPC title

• G03F7/11

  having cover layers or intermediate layers, e.g. subbing layers {(G03F7/091 - G03F7/093, B41N3/03 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C09D153/005

  Modified block copolymers · CPC title

• B81C2201/0149

  Forming nanoscale microstructures using auto-arranging or self-assembling material · CPC title

• B81C1/00031

  Regular or irregular arrays of nanoscale structures, e.g. etch mask layer (photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces G03F7/00; lithographic processes for making patterned surfaces using printing and stamping G03F7/0002) · CPC title