title: Micrometer-Scale Ordering of Silicon-Containing Block Copolymer Thin Films via High-Temperature Thermal Treatments.
abstract: Block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly is expected to complement conventional optical lithography for the fabrication of next-generation microelectronic devices. In this regard, silicon-containing BCPs with a high Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (χ) are extremely appealing because they form high-resolution nanostructures with characteristic dimensions below 10 nm. However, due to their slow self-assembly kinetics and low thermal stability, these silicon-containing high-χ BCPs are usually processed by solvent vapor annealing or in solvent-rich ambient at a low annealing temperature, significantly increasing the complexity of the facilities and of the procedures. In this work, the self-assembly of cylinder-forming polystyrene-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane-random-vinylmethylsiloxane) (PS-b-P(DMS-r-VMS)) BCP on flat substrates is promoted by means of a simple thermal treatment at high temperatures. Homogeneous PS-b-P(DMS-r-VMS) thin films covering the entire sample surface are obtained without any evidence of dewetting phenomena. The BCP arranges in a single layer of cylindrical P(DMS-r-VMS) nanostructures parallel-oriented with respect to the substrate. By properly adjusting the surface functionalization, the heating rate, the annealing temperature, and the processing time, one can obtain correlation length values larger than 1 μm in a time scale fully compatible with the stringent requirements of the microelectronic industry.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR , Via C. Olivetti 2, 20864 Agrate Brianza, Italy.|Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica (DISIT), Universitá del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso Jacopo
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Giammaria
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR , Via C. Olivetti 2, 20864 Agrate Brianza, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrarese Lupi
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR , Via C. Olivetti 2, 20864 Agrate Brianza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seguini
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR , Via C. Olivetti 2, 20864 Agrate Brianza, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perego
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell'Ambiente ed Urbanistica and CNISM, Universitá Politecnica delle Marche , Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Ingegneria della Materia, dell'Ambiente ed Urbanistica and CNISM, Universitá Politecnica delle Marche , Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Oriano
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Francescangeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University , Bard Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wenning
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University , Bard Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Christopher K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ober
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica (DISIT), Universitá del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sparnacci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica (DISIT), Universitá del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antonioli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica (DISIT), Universitá del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica (DISIT), Universitá del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Viale T. Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laus
keywords: RTP; high-χ block copolymer; rapid thermal processing; self-assembly; surface functionalization; thermal degradation