Block copolymers and lithographic patterning using same
AssigneeCornell University
InventorsChristopher K. Ober, Rina Maeda, Nam-ho You, Teruaki Hayakawa
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Abstract
Block copolymers and methods of making patterns of organic thin films using the block copolymers. The block copolymers comprise a fluorinated block. Thin films of the block copolymers have microdomains that can be aligned. As a result the patterns of organic thin films having smaller dimensions than the pattern of incident deep-UV or e-beam radiation can be formed. For example, the block copolymers can be used in lithography, filtration, and templating applications.
Claims20
A method of forming a patterned organic thin film comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a substrate;
- b) forming a thin film of a block copolymer comprising a positive-tone polymer block and a negative-tone polymer block on the substrate, wherein the thin film has periodic microdomains;
- c) aligning the periodic microdomains of the thin film;
- d) exposing at least a portion of the thin film from b) to deep-UV or e-beam radiation to differentially affect the positive-tone polymer blocks and negative-tone polymer blocks in the exposed portion of the thin film such that an exposed pattern, and, optionally, an unexposed portion, of thin film is/are formed;
- and
- e) exposing the thin film from d) to a solvent such that the unexposed portion of block copolymer thin film, if present, and selected regions of the exposed portion of the thin film are removed, and a patterned organic thin film of the negative-tone polymer blocks or a patterned organic thin film of the positive-tone polymer blocks is formed.
A block copolymer having the following structure:
- wherein the A block is a polystyrene block, polyhydroxystyrene block, a substituted analog thereof, or mixture thereof and the B block is a fluorinated block comprising at least one fluorinated monomer, and
- wherein x and y are each independently from 5 to 1000.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.