Two-dimensional arrays of holes with sub-lithographic diameters formed by block copolymer self-assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
- forming a copolymer film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within a plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo each trench having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the trenches aligned; and
causing the copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench of the plurality, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a trench is about Lo, and the pitch distance between the cylindrical domains of adjacent trenches is about 2*Lo.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale microstructures in two-dimensional square and rectangular arrays utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a copolymer film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within a plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo each trench having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the trenches aligned; and causing the copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench of the plurality, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a trench is about Lo, and the pitch distance between the cylindrical domains of adjacent trenches is about 2*Lo. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
15. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a block copolymer film comprising an about 60;
40 to about 80;
20 ratio of a first polymer block to a second polymer block within a plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo, each trench of the plurality having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the trenches aligned; andannealing the block copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of the second polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of the first polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench of the plurality, wherein each trench of the plurality contains a single row of n cylindrical domains at a pitch distance of about Lo and substantially parallel to the sidewalls of the trenches of the plurality, with the cylindrical domains of adjacent trenches at a pitch distance of about 2*Lo.
-
-
16. A method of forming nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a block copolymer film having a thickness of about Lo within a plurality of trenches within a material layer, wherein each trench of the plurality has a width of at least about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the trenches aligned, the block copolymer film comprising an about 60;
40 to about 80;
20 ratio of a first polymer block to a second polymer block, and capable of microphase separating upon annealing into cylindrical domains within a matrix; andcausing a microphase separation in the block copolymer to produce a single array of perpendicularly-oriented cylindrical microstructures composed of the second polymer block in a matrix of the first polymer block within each trench, wherein the pitch distance between adjacent cylindrical microstructures within each trench is about Lo and the pitch distance between cylindrical microstructures of adjacent trenches is about 2*Lo.
-
-
17. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a neutral wetting material layer on a substrate; forming a material layer on the neutral wetting material layer; forming a plurality of trenches in the material layer, each trench of the plurality having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a floor defined by the neutral wetting material layer, with ends of the trenches aligned; forming a copolymer film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within the plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo; and causing the copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a trench is about Lo, and the pitch distance between the cylindrical domains of adjacent trenches is about 2*Lo.
-
-
18. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a first film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within a first plurality of trenches within a material layer to a thickness of about Lo, each trench of the first plurality having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the trenches aligned; causing the first copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench of said first plurality of trenches, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a trench is about Lo, and the pitch distance between the cylindrical domains of adjacent first trenches is about 2*Lo; cross-linking the annealed first block copolymer film within each of the first trenches; forming a second plurality of trenches by removing the material layer such that each trench of the second plurality of trenches is situated between the annealed and cross-linked first copolymer films within the trenches of the first plurality, each of the trenches of the second plurality having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of the plurality first and second of at least about Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with the ends of the second plurality of trenches aligned with the ends of the first plurality of trenches; forming a second film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within the second plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo; and causing the second copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each of the trenches of the second plurality, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a second trench and between the cylindrical domain of adjacent trenches is about Lo. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of forming nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
depositing a block copolymer within a first plurality of trenches within a material layer to form a first block copolymer film having a thickness of about Lo, wherein each trench has a width of at least about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with ends of the first plurality of trenches aligned, the block copolymer comprising an about 60;
40 to about 80;
20 ratio of a first polymer block to a second polymer block and capable of microphase separating upon annealing into cylindrical domains within a matrix;causing a microphase separation in the first block copolymer film to produce a single array of perpendicularly-oriented cylindrical microstructures composed of the second polymer block in a matrix of the first polymer block within each of the first plurality of trenches, wherein adjacent cylindrical microstructures within each trench are separated by a pitch distance of about Lo, and cylindrical microstructures of adjacent first trenches are separated by a pitch distance of about 2*Lo; cross-linking the first block copolymer film within each trench of the first plurality of trenches; forming a second plurality of trenches by removing the material layer between the cross-linked first copolymer film within the first plurality of trenches, each trench of the second plurality of trenches having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of the first and second plurality of trenches of at least about Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls and ends, and a neutral wetting floor, with the ends of the second plurality of trenches aligned with the ends of the first plurality of trenches; depositing the block copolymer within the second plurality of trenches to form a second copolymer film having a thickness of about Lo; and causing a microphase separation in the block copolymer to produce a single array of perpendicularly-oriented cylindrical microstructures composed of the first polymer block in a matrix of the second polymer block within each trench of the second plurality of trenches, wherein adjacent cylindrical microstructures within each trench of the second plurality of trenches and cylindrical microstructures of adjacent trenches of the first plurality are separated by a pitch distance of about Lo.
-
-
22. A method for fabricating nanoscale microstructures, comprising:
-
forming a neutral wetting material layer on a substrate; forming a material layer on the neutral wetting material layer, the material layer defining a first plurality of trenches, each trench of the first plurality having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of at least about 2*Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls, and a floor defined by the neutral wetting material layer, with ends of the trenches aligned; forming a first film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within the trenches of the first plurality to a thickness of about Lo; annealing the first copolymer film to form a single array of perpendicularly oriented cylindrical domains of a first polymer block of the block copolymer in a matrix of a second polymer block of the block copolymer within each trench of the first plurality, wherein the pitch distance between each cylindrical domain within a trench is about Lo, and the pitch distance between the cylindrical domains of adjacent trenches is about 2*Lo; cross-linking the first block copolymer film within each trench of the first plurality of trenches; forming a second plurality of trenches by removing the material layer between the cross-linked first copolymer film within the first plurality of trenches, each trench of the second plurality of trenches having a width of about Lo, a length of about nLo, a pitch distance between adjacent trenches of the first and second plurality of at least about Lo, preferential wetting sidewalls, and a neutral wetting floor, with the ends of the second plurality of trenches aligned with the ends of the first plurality of trenches; forming a second copolymer film comprising a self-assembling block copolymer within the second plurality of trenches to a thickness of about Lo; and causing a microphase separation in the second copolymer film to produce a single array of perpendicularly-oriented cylindrical microstructures composed of a first polymer block in a matrix of a second polymer block within each trench of the second plurality of trenches, wherein adjacent cylindrical microstructures within each trench of the second plurality and cylindrical microstructures of adjacent trenches of the first plurality are separated by a pitch distance of about Lo.
-
Specification