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US 9,315,609 B2Granted
Thermal anneal of block copolymer films with top interface constrained to wet both blocks with equal preference
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsDan B. Millward, Timothy A. Quick
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Abstract
Methods for fabricating sub-lithographic, nanoscale microstructures utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
Claims21
A method of forming a nanostructured polymer material, comprising:
- heating a substrate and a block copolymer material on the substrate to a temperature above a boiling point of an organic solvent to minimize swelling of the block copolymer material;
- and
- thermally annealing the block copolymer material in a vapor of the organic solvent and at a temperature above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the block copolymer material to cause polymer blocks of the block copolymer material to phase separate and self-assemble within a trench.
A method of forming a nanostructured material, comprising:
- forming a block copolymer material within a trench in a material layer overlying a substrate;
- heating the substrate and the block copolymer material to a temperature above a boiling point of an organic solvent;
- thermally annealing the block copolymer material in a vapor of the organic solvent and at a temperature above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the block copolymer material to cause polymer blocks of the block copolymer material to phase separate and self-assemble;
- selectively crosslinking a first block of the self-assembled block copolymer material;
- selectively removing a second block of the self-assembled block copolymer material to form openings extending through the self-assembled block copolymer material;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the substrate through the openings.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.