The development of time- and cost-efficient techniques for the surface patterning with a characteristic feature size on the order of tens of nanometers remains an important goal of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Such nanostructures are used in a plethora of applications, e.g. semiconductor microelectronics and optics. Block-copolymer lithography, a self-assembly approach that utilizes polymer molecules comprised of distinct covalently linked polymer blocks, enables surface nanopatterning with topographic and chemical periodic or aperiodic patterns. The limitations of block copolymer nanolithography include the necessity of selective etching of one of the blocks when access to the substrate is needed, the challenge in patterning of curved surfaces and sophisticated synthesis, especially if high molecular weight of the blocks is needed. Here, we present the surface nanopatterning strategy that utilizes homopolymers grafted to a planar surface with one-end in a brush-like configuration. When transferred from a good to a poor solvent, the polymers undergo constrained dewetting and exhibit surface segregation with characteristic feature size in the range of 20-40 nm. We show control over the surface pattern – from spherical micelles to wormlike features to networks and porous structures, which is achieved by changing the grafting density and the molecular weight of the polymer brushes. The surface patterns formed by homopolymer brushes have been used as a template for nanolithography by using back-filling strategies with organic and inorganic materials.

Constrained dewetting of grafted homopolymers for nanolithography

254th National Meeting (2017)

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