Multi-Layer Method for Formation of Registered Arrays of Cylindrical Pores in Polymer Films

• US 20120141741A1
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dan B. Millward
• Original Assignee: Dan B. Millward
• Inventors: Millward, Dan B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,455,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/173
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/34 Applying different liquids or other fluent materials simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0254 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/02 to obtain a matt or rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0002 Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/947 Subphotolithographic processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/888 Shaping or removal of materials, e.g. etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/895 having step or means utilizing chemical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/90 having step or means utilizing mechanical or thermal property, e.g. pressure, heat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24182 Inward from edge of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2462 with partial filling of valleys on outer surface

Abstract

Methods for fabricating sublithographic, nanoscale polymeric microstructures utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.

Claims

1. A polymeric material situated within a trench in a material layer overlying a substrate, the trench having sidewalls, ends, a floor, a width and a length, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer material comprising a base layer within the trench and an overlayer;

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular-oriented cylindrical domains of a minority polymer block in a matrix of a majority polymer block of a block copolymer material, the cylindrical polymer domains aligned with the sidewalls in a single row within the trench, each of said cylindrical polymer domains having a face at an interface with the overlayer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the polymer matrix; and

the overlayer comprising a plurality of perpendicular-oriented cylindrical domains of a minority polymer block in a matrix of a majority polymer block of a block copolymer material, each cylindrical polymer domain of the overlayer registered to a face of a cylindrical polymer domain of the base layer.

2. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the base layer has a thickness after annealing of less than a thickness of the block copolymer material to form surface parallel cylinders.

3. The polymer material of claim 2, wherein the base layer after annealing has a thickness of about 5-30% less than said thickness of the first block copolymer material to form surface parallel cylinders.

4. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the trench has a depth of about 50-90% of the thickness of the base layer.

5. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the width of the trench is a about 1-1.5×

L, with L being the inherent pitch value of the block copolymer.

6. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the block copolymer material comprises poly(styrene)-b-poly(vinylpyridine).

7. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the block copolymer material comprises poly(styrene)-b-poly(methylmethacrylate).

8. The polymeric material of claim 1, wherein the block copolymer material comprises poly(styrene)-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane).

9. A polymeric material situated within a trench in a material layer overlying a substrate, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer material comprising a base layer within the trench and an overlayer,

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylindrical domains of a minority block in a matrix of a majority block of a first cylindrical-phase block copolymer material having an inherent pitch value (L);

the trench having a length, floor, and opposing sidewalls and ends that are preferentially wetting to a minority block of said first block copolymer;

the cylindrical domains aligned with the sidewalls in a single row for the length of the trench, each of said cylindrical domains having a face at an interface with the overlayer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the matrix; and

the overlayer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylindrical domains of a minority block in a matrix of a majority block of a second cylindrical-phase block copolymer material having an inherent pitch value (L) at or about the L value of the first block copolymer material;

each cylindrical polymer domain of the overlayer oriented perpendicular and registered to a cylindrical polymer domain of the base layer.

10. The polymeric material of claim 9, wherein the base layer has a total thickness after annealing of less than a thickness of the first block copolymer material after annealing to form surface parallel cylinders.

11. The polymeric material of claim 10, wherein the base layer has a total thickness after annealing of about 5-30% less than said thickness of the first block copolymer material to form surface parallel cylinders.

12. The polymeric material of claim 9, wherein the overlayer has a total thickness after annealing at or above the inherent pitch value (L) of the second block copolymer material.

13. A polymeric material situated within a trench in a material layer, the trench having sidewalls, ends, a floor, a width and a length, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer material comprising a base layer within the trench and a second layer overlying the base layer;

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular-oriented cylindrical domains of a minority polymer block within a matrix of a majority polymer block of a block copolymer material, and a brush layer on the trench floor comprising a bilayer of the majority block domain and the minority block domain with the minority block domain wetting the trench floor, the cylindrical polymer domains aligned with the sidewalls in a single row within the trench, each of said cylindrical polymer domains having a face at an interface with the second layer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the polymer matrix; and

the overlayer comprising a plurality of perpendicular-oriented cylindrical domains of a minority polymer block within a matrix of a majority polymer block of a block copolymer material, each cylindrical polymer domain of the second layer registered to a face of a cylindrical polymer domain of the base layer.

14. A polymeric material situated within a trench in a material layer, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer material comprising a base layer within the trench and a second layer overlying the base layer;

the trench having a floor, opposing sidewalls and ends; and

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylinders of a first polymer block within a matrix of a second polymer block of a block copolymer material, the cylinders aligned with the sidewalls in a single row within the trench, each of said cylinders having a face at an interface with the second layer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the matrix of the second polymer block.

15. A polymeric material situated within a trench in a material layer, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer material comprising a base layer within the trench and a second layer overlying the base layer;

the trench having a floor, opposing sidewalls and ends; and

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylinders of a first polymer block within a matrix of a second polymer block of a block copolymer material, and a brush layer comprising the first block wetting the trench floor, sidewalls and ends of the trench, the cylinders aligned with the sidewalls in a single row within the trench, each of said cylinders having a face at an interface with the second layer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the matrix of the second polymer block.

16. A polymeric material situated within a plurality of trenches in a material layer, each trench separated by a spacer, the polymeric material comprising a self-assembled block copolymer comprising a base layer within the trenches and a second layer overlying the base layer and the spacers;

the trench having a floor, opposing sidewalls and ends;

the base layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylinders of a first block within a matrix of a second block of a block copolymer, the cylinders aligned with the sidewalls in a single row within the trench, each of said perpendicular cylinders having a face at an interface with the second layer and an opposing end embedded within and surrounded by the matrix of the second block; and

the second layer comprising a plurality of perpendicular cylinders and one or more parallel cylinders of a first block within a matrix of a second block of a block copolymer;

each perpendicular cylinder of the second layer having one end exposed at a surface of said second layer and a second end registered to a face of a perpendicular cylinder of the base layer, and the one or more parallel cylinders situated over the spacers between the trenches and embedded within the matrix of the second block.

17. The polymeric material of claim 16, wherein the base layer further comprises a brush layer comprising the first block wetting the trench floor, sidewalls and ends of the trench.

18. The polymeric material of claim 16, wherein the second layer further comprises a brush layer comprising the first block wetting the one or more spacers.